 |
Born David Schad Ward. Talented filmmaker who won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the classic con movie THE STING (1973), one of that film's seven Oscars. Educated at USC and UCLA, Ward worked as an assistant editor at an educational film company and wrote the anarchic comedy STEELYARD BLUES while in grad school. The script was filmed in 1973 with Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland and produced by Michael and Julia Phillips, who tapped Ward again as a writer when they went on to produce THE STING. Ward directed and adapted John Steinbeck's CANNERY ROW (1982), then scored a success with the baseball comedy MAJOR LEAGUE (1989). He went on to write and direct KING RALPH (1991) and tackled the sports world again in THE PROGRAM (1993) with James Caan as a college football coach. He contributed to the script of SAVING GRACE (1986) and cowrote the adaptation of THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR (1988, with John Nichols). Ward also wrote THE STING II (1983), an unfortunate dud, and directed (but did not write) MAJOR LEAGUE II (1994). He was Oscar®-nominated as cowriter of SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE (1993). He directed DOWN PERISCOPE (1996), and wrote & directed THE BEST MAN (1999). More recent writing credits include FLYBOYS (2006), LUCIFER (2007) and BUDDHA (2008).
2 nominations, 1 Award |
Writing (Best Story and Screenplay based on factual material or material not previously published or produced) 
Nominated for Writing (Best Screenplay written directly for the screen)