Born in Chicago, IL; educated at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL). Worked as a playwright in Chicago for 10 years before becoming a writer-producer and beginning in American television with "Tornado!" (1996). Other notable writing credits include BATS (also exec. producer) and ANY GIVEN SUNDAY (screen story, screenplay) and "RKO 281" (TV, aka "RKO 281: The Battle Over Citizen Kane) (all 1999), GLADIATOR (2000), STAR TREK: NEMESIS (screenplay, story) and THE TIME MACHINE (screenplay & co-producer) (both 2002), SINBAD: LEGEND OF THE SEVEN SEAS and THE LAST SAMURAI (both 2003), THE AVIATOR (2004), SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2007, screenplay & producer), and the original screenplay for LINCOLN (announced for production in 2009).  Nominated for Achievement in Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) 2000: GLADIATOR (Screenplay w. David Franzoni & William Nicholson)  Nominated for Achievement in Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) 2004: THE AVIATOR 2 nominations