Born in St. Louis, MO; educated at Los Angeles City College (English) and University of Southern California (film). Began his career as an assistant to producer Lawrence Gordon at Roger Corman's American International Pictures. Known as "Mr. Macho," "General Melius" and "the George Patton of film directors," Milius has demonstrated a flair for writing and directing fast-paced, bloody action films such as DILLINGER (1973) and CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), and crafting numerous memorable cinematic lines and scenes: "Go ahead, make my day" for DIRTY HARRY (1971) and the U.S.S. Indianapolis scene in JAWS (1975). He is a personal friend of the Coen brothers and was the inspiration for the character of Walter in THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998). Other notable credits include (as writer) THE REVERSAL OF RICHARD SUN (1966, also director), GLUT and THE EMPEROR (both 1967), THE DEVIL'S 8 (1969), EVEL KNIEVEL (1971), JEREMIAH JOHNSON and THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN (both 1972), MAGNUM FORCE (1973), THE WIND AND THE LION (1975, also director), BIG WEDNESDAY (1978, also director), APOCALYPSE NOW and 1941 (also exec. producer) (both 1979), RED DAWN (1984, also director), EXTREME PREJUDICE (1987), FAREWELL TO THE KING (1989, also director), GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND (1993), CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (1994), "Rough Riders" (1997, TV, also director) and JOURNADA DEL MUERTO / JOURNEY OF DEATH (scheduled for 2009, also director); (as director) MARCELLO, I'M BORED (1966) and FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER (1991); (as producer) HARDCORE (1979, exec. producer), USED CARS (1980, exec. producer) and UNCOMMON VALOR (1983). An avid gun collector, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association from 1995 to 2001; currently serves on the Public Affairs and Shotgun Committees. Formerly married to actress Celia Kaye. Married to actress Elan Oberon since 1992.  Nominated for Writing (Best Screenplay based on material from another medium) 1979: APOCALYPSE NOW (w. Francis Ford Coppola) 1 nomination