Paul Attanasio
Biography from Baseline's Encyclopedia of Film; photo (2006) from ViewImages.com


Photo: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Educated at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA and Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA. Busy screenwriter who began his career as film critic for the Washington Post (1984-87)and host of "The Movie Show" (1986-87), a cable series devoted to movie reviews, interviews and behind-the-scenes reports on the contemporary film scene. Attanasio got his first scriptwriting break creating the pilot for the NBC series "Homicide: Life on the Street," a gritty look at the Baltimore police, produced by Barry Levinson. (Attanasio wrote 117 episodes of the show's 1993-1999 run.) Levinson then brought Attanasio aboard DISCLOSURE (1994), a thriller based on the Michael Crichton bestseller about sexual harassment in the workplace. Robert Redford tapped Attanasio to work on the critically well-received QUIZ SHOW (1994), based on the quiz show scandals of the 1950s.

Other notable credits include DONNIE BRASCO (1997), SPHERE (1998), "Gideon's Crossing" (2000, TV series - also executive producer), THE SUM OF ALL FEARS and "R.U.S./H." (TV series) (both 2002), THE GOOD GERMAN (2006), and THE FIGHTER and EAST OF EDEN (both announced for 2009). Attanasio executive produced the Fox TV series "House M.D" (2004-08).

 Nominated for Achievement in Writing - Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published 1994: QUIZ SHOW
 Nominated for Achievement in Writing - Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published 1997: DONNIE BRASCO

2 nominations