Frank Pierson

Infobox actor


name = Frank R. Pierson
birthdate = birth date and age|1925|5|12
location = Chappaqua, New York
academyawards = Best Original Screenplay
1975 "Dog Day Afternoon"

Frank R. Pierson (born 12 May 1925) is an American screenwriter and film director.

Born in Chappaqua, New York, Pierson attended Harvard. He got his break in Hollywood when he penned a script for the television series "Naked City" in 1958. He went on to write or co-write several notable films, including "Cat Ballou".

He helped write "Cool Hand Luke" and "Dog Day Afternoon", which were both nominated for Academy Awards, the latter of which won Pierson his only Oscar statuette. "A Star Is Born", which he directed and which he also contributed to the screenplay.

Pierson has directed several notable films produced for television, including "Dirty Pictures", "Citizen Cohn", "Conspiracy", and "Somebody Has To Shoot the Picture". His direction on "Truman" and "Soldier's Girl" both garnered Peabody Awards.

He was President of the Writers Guild of America, west from 1981—1983 and again from 1993—1995 and was President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) from 2001-2005. He is also currently a member of the teaching staff of Sundance Institute and is Artistic Director of the American Film Institute.

External links

*
* [http://www.wga.org/pr/0299/Pierson.html Frank Pierson to Receive Edmund H. North Award] WGA News, February 1999.

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title = President of Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences
before= Robert Rehme
years = 2001-2005
after = Sid Ganis