Born near Olympia, Washington. An avid outdoorsman who enjoys hiking and fishing, he attended Washington State University before transferring to the University of Southern California Film School. He left before graduation to spend his time writing. He was hired in 1983 by Paramount Pictures to write for Eddie Murphy, and directed his first film LAST OF THE DOGMEN in 1995. Since then, he has written several of Disney's animated films. He currently lives with his family in Los Angeles. Other notable story and screenplay credits include MY BEST FRIEND IS A VAMPIRE (also assoc. prod.) and GORILLAS IN THE MIST (both 1988), THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1996), TARZAN (1999), ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE (2001), BROTHER BEAR (2003), "The Little Monk" (2007, TV series), THE DARK COUNTRY (scheduled for 2008), and ISOBAR (planned for 2009).  Nominated for Writing - Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium 1988: GORILLAS IN THE MIST (w. Anna Hamilton Phelan) 1 nomination