David Newman (screenwriter)

David Newman
Born(1937-02-04)February 4, 1937
New York City, US
DiedJune 27, 2003(2003-06-27) (aged 66)
New York City, US
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
Occupationscreenwriter
Years active1965–2003
Spouse(s)Leslie Newman (1958–2003; his death; 2 children)

David Newman (February 4, 1937 – June 27, 2003) was an American screenwriter. From the late 1960s through the early 1980s he frequently collaborated with Robert Benton. He was married to fellow writer Leslie Newman, with whom he had two children, until his death in 2003 from a stroke.[1]

Career

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Newman studied at the University of Michigan. He went to work at Esquire magazine where he met Robert Benton. The two of them wrote Bonnie and Clyde which made them highly in demand in Hollywood. From the University of Michigan GARGAlum Newsletter, 2002: "David Newman, 1958 University of Michigan humor magazine Gargoyle editor, has been nominated for the Academy Award, won the New York Film Critics Award, the National Society of Film Critics Award, and three Writers Guild of America Awards for various screen plays including Bonnie & Clyde [and] Superman … among many others. David received his BA and MA at U of M where he twice won the Avery Hopwood Award. David became an editor at Esquire Magazine. He co-created the Dubious Achievement Awards. He took pride in having coined the phrase: 'Why is this man laughing?' and wished he had copyrighted it."[2]

When Benton became a director, Newman started collaborating with his wife Leslie.[3]

Works

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Films

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Year Title Credited as Notes
1967 Bonnie and Clyde Written by Co-written with Robert Benton
1970 There Was a Crooked Man...
1972 What's Up, Doc? Screenplay by Story written by Peter Bogdanovich
Screenplay со-written with Robert Benton and Buck Henry
Bad Company Written by Co-written with Robert Benton
1977 La fille d'Amérique Directed by, written by Co-written with Leslie Newman
1978 Superman Screenplay by Based on character (Superman) created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Story written by Mario Puzo
Screenplay co-written with Robert Benton, Leslie Newman and Mario Puzo
1980 Superman II Based on character (Superman) created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Story written by Mario Puzo
Screenplay co-written with Leslie Newman and Mario Puzo
1982 Jinxed! Story written by Frank D. Gilroy (credited as "Bert Blessing")
Screenplay co-written with Frank D. Gilroy (credited as "Bert Blessing")
Still of the Night Story by Story co-written with Robert Benton
Screenplay written by Robert Benton
1983 Superman III Screenplay by Based on character (Superman) created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Screenplay co-written with Leslie Newman
1984 Sheena Story by, screenplay by Story co-written with Leslie Stevens
Screenplay co-written with Lorenzo Semple Jr.
1985 Santa Claus: The Movie Story co-written with Leslie Newman
Screenplay written by David Newman
1987 Р.О.Т.О.Р. Associate producer
1988 Moonwalker Screenplay by (segment: "Smooth Criminal") Story for segment "Smooth Criminal" written by Michael Jackson
Screenplay for segment "Smooth Criminal" written by David Newman
2000 Track Down Screenplay by Based on book written by Tsutomu Shimomura and John Markoff
Screenplay co-written with Leslie Newman, Howard A. Rodman and John Danza
2006 Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Based on character (Superman) created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Story written by Mario Puzo
Screenplay co-written with Leslie Newman and Mario Puzo

Theatrical stage

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Year Title Notes
1966 It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman Libretto co-written with Robert Benton
Adaptation in television film (1975)
1969 Oh! Calcutta! Libretto co-written with Robert Benton, Jules Feiffer, Dan Greenburg, John Lennon, Jacques Levy, Sam Shepard, Leonard Melfi, Kenneth Tynan, Margo Sappington, Clovis Trouille and Sherman Yellen
Adaptation in theatrical film (1972)

References

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  1. ^ Obituary at New York Times accessed 26 Oct 2014
  2. ^ Mikael Colville-Andersen (October 1, 1998). "New York Conversation - David Newman at Hotel Chelsea". Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  3. ^ "With the Walkout Over, Writers David and Leslie Newman Strike Up 'Superman III'" By Fred Bernstein People Magazine July 27, 1981 accessed 26 Oct 2014
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