R. W. Goodwin

Last updated

Robert W. Goodwin (born 1943), billed as R. W. Goodwin, is an Australian-born American television producer and director best known for his work as senior executive producer of The X-Files . He lives in Bellingham, Washington. [1]

Contents

He also directed and produced the 2009 low-budget independent feature Alien Trespass .

Work on the X-Files

Goodwin worked as Co-Executive Producer for the X-Files from 1993 through 1998. He had first met series creator Chris Carter when the two were working on separate series for NBC in the 1980s. Goodwin watched the pilot episode, met with Chris Carter, and shortly afterwards was hired as Co-Executive Producer. [2] As Co-Executive Producer, Goodwin was chiefly responsible for all aspects of physical production on the show. [3] He also directed a few episodes per season, usually the first and last episodes of the season.

Goodwin's work on the series ended at the end of season five when the show moved production from Vancouver to Los Angeles.

Personal life

Goodwin was born in Australia, and spent most of his life in Los Angeles, before he started producing television series in Vancouver. In L.A. he performed comedy with the Credibility Gap. [1] [4] He later moved his family to Bellingham, Washington to be closer by. [2] Goodwin is married to actress Sheila Larken, who played Scully's mother on the X-Files.

Partial filmography

Producer High Risk, with James Brolin and Anthony Quinn.

Related Research Articles

<i>The X-Files</i> American science fiction-drama television series

The X-Files is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The original television series aired from September 1993 to May 2002 on Fox. During its original run, the program spanned nine seasons, with 202 episodes. A short tenth season consisting of six episodes ran from January to February 2016. Following the ratings success of this revival, The X-Files returned for an eleventh season of ten episodes, which ran from January to March 2018. In addition to the television series, two feature films have been released: The 1998 film The X-Files and the stand-alone film The X-Files: I Want to Believe, released in 2008, six years after the original television run had ended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Mulder</span> X-Files protagonist

Fox William Mulder is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series The X-Files, played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterrestrial or paranormal activity as those of a conspiracy theorist and supernaturalist; however, his skeptical but supportive partner, Special Agent Dana Scully, often finds them to be unexpectedly correct. He and Scully work in the X-Files office, concerned with unsolved FBI cases that are often revealed to be supernatural or extraterrestrial in nature. Mulder was a main character for the first seven seasons, but was limited to a recurring character for the following two seasons. He returns as a main character for the tenth and eleventh seasons.

<i>The X-Files</i> (season 1) Season of the science fiction TV series

The first season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on September 10, 1993, and concluded on the same channel on May 13, 1994, after airing all 24 episodes.

<i>The X-Files</i> (season 2) Season of television series The X-Files

The second season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on September 16, 1994, concluded on the same channel on May 19, 1995, after airing all 25 episodes. The series follows Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, portrayed by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson respectively, who investigate paranormal or supernatural cases, known as X-Files by the FBI.

<i>The X-Files</i> (season 4) Season of television series

The fourth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on October 4, 1996, concluding on the same channel on May 18, 1997, and contained 24 episodes. Following the filming and airing of the season, production began on The X-Files feature film, which was released in 1998 following the show's fifth season.

<i>The X-Files</i> (season 5) Season of television series

The fifth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 2, 1997, concluding on the same channel on May 17, 1998, and contained 20 episodes. The season was the last in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; subsequent episodes would be shot in Los Angeles, California. In addition, this was the first season of the show where the course of the story was planned, due to the 1998 The X-Files feature film being filmed before it, but scheduled to be released after it aired.

<i>The X-Files</i> (season 6) Season of television series The X-Files

The sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 8, 1998, concluding on the same channel on May 16, 1999, and consisted of twenty-two episodes. The season continued from the 1998 feature film and focused heavily on FBI federal agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully's separation from the X-Files Division and the demise of the Syndicate—a "shadow government" group attempting to cover up the existence of extraterrestrials—in the two-part episode "Two Fathers" and "One Son".

<i>The X-Files</i> (season 7) Season of television series The X-Files

The seventh season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 7, 1999, concluded on May 21, 2000, and consists of twenty-two episodes. Taking place after the destruction of the Syndicate, this season marks the end of various other story lines; during this season, Fox Mulder learned the true fate of his sister, Samantha.

<i>The X-Files</i> (season 8) Season of television series The X-Files

The eighth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 5, 2000, concluded on May 20, 2001, and consisted of twenty-one episodes. Season eight takes place after Fox Mulder's alien abduction in the seventh season. The story arc for the search of Mulder continues until the second half of the season, while a new arc about Dana Scully's pregnancy is formed. This arc would continue, and end, with the next season. The season explores various themes such as life, death, and belief.

<i>The X-Files</i> (season 9) Season of television series The X-Files

The ninth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 11, 2001, concluded on May 19, 2002, and consists of twenty episodes. The season takes place after Fox Mulder goes into hiding, following the events of the eighth season finale, "Existence". As such, the main story arc for the season follows Dana Scully, John Doggett, and Monica Reyes on their hunt to reveal a government conspiracy involving the elaborate and malevolent creation of "Super Soldiers".

<i>The X-Files</i> (film) 1998 film by Rob Bowman

The X-Files is a 1998 American science fiction thriller film based on Chris Carter's television series of the same name, which revolves around fictional unsolved cases called the X-Files and the characters solving them. It was directed by Rob Bowman, written by Carter and Frank Spotnitz and featured five main characters from the television series: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, John Neville, and William B. Davis reprise their respective roles as FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner, Well-Manicured Man, and the Cigarette-Smoking Man. The film was promoted with the tagline Fight the Future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Wong (filmmaker)</span> Hong Kong-born American producer, writer, and director (born 1959)

James Wong is a Hong Kong-born American television producer, writer, and retired film director. Wong is best known for co-writing episodes of the Fox science fiction supernatural drama series The X-Files with his partner, Glen Morgan. Morgan and Wong are founders of the Hard Eight Pictures and co-created Space: Above and Beyond. Wong also directed the films Final Destination, The One, and Dragonball Evolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Morgan</span> American television producer, writer, and director (born 1961)

Glen Morgan is an American television producer, writer and director. He is best known for co-writing episodes of the Fox science fiction supernatural drama series The X-Files with his partner, James Wong. He served as an executive producer on the show's eleventh season. He also executive produced The Twilight Zone reboot by Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Spender</span> Fictional character in The X-Files

FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender is a fictional character in the American Fox television series The X-Files, a science fiction show about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of alien existence. Spender was in control of the X-Files office after Fox Mulder's and Dana Scully's forced leaves in "The Beginning". The X-Files office is concerned with cases with particularly mysterious or possibly supernatural circumstances that were left unsolved and shelved by the FBI. Portrayed by Canadian actor Chris Owens, Spender was a recurring character during the fifth and sixth seasons, before returning for the ninth season of The X-Files in a guest role. He returned for the eleventh season of the show.

<i>The X-Files Mythology, Volume 1 – Abduction</i> Season of television series

Volume 1 of The X-Files Mythology collection is a DVD release containing selected episodes from the first to the third seasons of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. The episodes collected in the release form the beginning of the series' mythology, and are centred on alien abduction at the hands of "colonists". Several of the elements introduced in the collected episodes arose through necessity during production, as working around the pregnancy of lead actress Gillian Anderson led to both the creation of unifying plot thread and the introduction of several recurring characters.

"The End" is the 20th and final episode of the fifth season, and 117th overall of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on May 17, 1998. "The End" subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on March 17, 1999, on BBC One. The episode was written by executive producer Chris Carter, and directed by R. W. Goodwin. "The End" earned a Nielsen household rating of 11.9, being watched by 18.76 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed to positive reviews from television critics.

The Beginning (<i>The X-Files</i>) 1st episode of the 6th season of The X-Files

"The Beginning" is the first episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network in the United States on November 8, 1998. The episode was written by Chris Carter, and directed by Kim Manners. It helps explore the series' overarching mythology. "The Beginning" earned a Nielsen household rating of 11.9, being watched by 20.34 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed reviews from television critics.

"The Erlenmeyer Flask" is the 24th episode and the first season finale of the science fiction television series The X-Files. Written by executive producer Chris Carter and directed by R. W. Goodwin, the episode continues with the mythology story arc which started with "Pilot". The episode first aired in the United States on the Fox network on May 13, 1994. With 8.3 million households tuning in during its initial broadcast, the episode was the most-viewed episode of the show's first season. The episode received an Edgar Award nomination in the Best Episode in a TV Series category, and has, since broadcast, received positive responses from both critics and crew members.

The mythology of The X-Files, sometimes referred to as its "mytharc" by the show's staff and fans, follows the quest of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder, a believer in supernatural phenomena, and Dana Scully, his skeptical partner. Their boss, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner, was also often involved. Beginning with season 8, another skeptic named John Doggett, and Monica Reyes, a believer like Mulder, were also introduced. The overarching story, which spans events as early as the 1940s, is built around a government conspiracy to hide the truth about alien existence and their doomsday plan. Not all episodes advanced the mythology plot, but those that did were often set up by Mulder or Scully via an opening monologue.

<i>The Lone Gunmen</i> (TV series) 2001 American television series

The Lone Gunmen is an American conspiracy fiction thriller drama television series created by Chris Carter, Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz. The program originally aired from March 4, 2001, to June 1, 2001, on Fox. It is a spin-off of Carter's science fiction television series The X-Files and as such is part of The X-Files franchise, starring several of the show's characters. Despite positive reviews, its ratings dropped, and the show was canceled after thirteen episodes. The last episode ended on a cliffhanger which was partially resolved in a ninth season episode of The X-Files entitled "Jump the Shark".

References

  1. 1 2 "X-Files chief not moving". Vancouver Sun. April 20, 1998. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
  2. 1 2 Hurwitz, Matt, Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. p. 32.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Edwards, Ted (1996). X-Files Confidential . Little, Brown and Company. p.  80. ISBN   9780316212526.
  4. Show 34 - Revolt of the Fat Angel: American musicians respond to the British invaders. [Part 2] : UNT Digital Library