Harris Goldberg is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
-born American director, writer and producer.
He co-wrote the 1999 film ''
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo'' with
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael Schneider (; born October 31, 1963) is an American actor, comedian, and screenwriter. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'', he went on to a career in feature films, including starri ...
and the 2002 film ''
The Master of Disguise
''The Master of Disguise'' is a 2002 American adventure comedy film directed by Perry Andelin Blake in his directorial debut, written by Dana Carvey and Harris Goldberg, and starring Carvey, Brent Spiner, Jennifer Esposito, Harold Gould and Jam ...
'' with
Dana Carvey
Dana Thomas Carvey (born June 2, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his seven seasons as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1986 to 1993, which earned him fiv ...
.
In 2007, Goldberg wrote and directed the film ''
Numb'', inspired by his own experiences battling an anxiety disorder.
Early life
Goldberg was born in
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
. He studied at
McMaster University
McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical Ga ...
and received a
B.A.
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
degree in English. While attending McMaster, Goldberg started to write, create films, and host and perform radio shows, stand-up comedy at clubs around
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, and play in his rock band called Oliver Twist. A ''
Clash''-like foursome known for their on-stage personal tension, during one memorable New Year's Eve gig, at the reputedly mob-owned Jockey Club, Goldberg smashed his entire drum kit and broke his arm.
Goldberg's first passion was tennis. He reached a Canadian (SW Ontario) Junior Tennis ranking of number two. After taking a year off to pursue the Satellite tennis circuit, he came to the conclusion that tennis would not be his life's work. Goldberg was frequently quoted as saying that, "he had strokes, but not the head."
Film career
Goldberg returned to writing. His older brother,
Daniel Goldberg, had attained success writing and producing films, including ''
Stripes
Stripe, striped, or stripes may refer to:
Decorations
*Stripe (pattern), a line or band that differs in colour or tone from an adjacent surface
*Racing stripe, a vehicle decoration
*Service stripe, a decoration of the U.S. military
Entertainment
...
'' and ''
Meatballs'', both starring
Bill Murray
William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan delivery. He rose to fame on ''The National Lampoon Radio Hour'' (1973–1974) before becoming a national presence on ''Saturday Nigh ...
. Goldberg moved to Los Angeles, where he sold his first screenplay within a week. He signed with the
William Morris Agency
The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent a ...
, and soon secured his first job writing for
Matty Simmons
Martin Gerald Simmons (October 3, 1926 – April 29, 2020) was an American film and television producer, newspaper reporter for the ''New York World-Telegram and Sun'', and Executive Vice President of Diners Club, the first credit card company. ...
, owner of ''
National Lampoon'' and producer of ''
Animal House
''National Lampoon's Animal House'' is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney and Chris Miller. It stars John Belushi, Peter Riegert, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hu ...
.''
A multi-picture deal at
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
followed, including: ''
I'll Be Home for Christmas
"I'll Be Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song written by the lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent and recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby, who scored a top ten hit with the song. Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longe ...
'' starring
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Jonathan Taylor Thomas (born Jonathan Taylor Weiss; September 8, 1981) is an American actor and director. He is known for portraying Randy Taylor on ''Home Improvement'' and voicing young Simba in Disney's 1994 film ''The Lion King'' and Pinocch ...
and
Jessica Biel
Jessica Claire Timberlake (née Biel ; born March 3, 1982) is an American actress and model. She has received various accolades, including a Young Artist Award, and nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.
Biel be ...
; a sequel to ''
The Mighty Ducks
''The Mighty Ducks'' is an American media franchise. It features a trilogy of live-action films released in the 1990s by Walt Disney Pictures, an animated television series, a live-action sequel television series, and a real-world hockey team ...
''; and the award-winning Hallmark film, ''
A Step Toward Tomorrow'', a story about two young brothers, one reliant on a wheelchair after an accident. Premiering to rave reviews during CBS Sweeps Week in the winter of 1996, the film was also noted for a touching and memorable performance by
Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, best known for playing the title character in the film ''Superman'' (1978) and three sequels.
Born in New York City and raised in Princeton, New Jersey, ...
, in his first acting role after his tragic horseback riding accident.
In 2003, Goldberg directed the short film, ''Where's Angelo?'', a ''
Get Shorty
''Get Shorty'' is a 1990 novel by American novelist Elmore Leonard. In 1995, the novel was adapted into a film of the same name, and in 2017 it was adapted into a television series of the same name.
Plot summary
The story centers on Ernesto ...
''-style production, which starred
Robert Forster
Robert Wallace Forster Jr. (July 13, 1941 – October 11, 2019) was an American actor, known for his roles as John Cassellis in '' Medium Cool'' (1969), Captain Dan Holland in ''The Black Hole'' (1979), Abdul Rafai in '' The Delta Force'' (1986 ...
,
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen (born September 25, 1957) is an American actor. He has starred in many films and television series, frequently collaborating with director Quentin Tarantino, most famously in the latter's debut film ''Reservoir Dogs'' (19 ...
,
Beverly D'Angelo
Beverly Heather D'Angelo (born November 15, 1951) is an American actress who starred as Ellen Griswold in the ''National Lampoon's Vacation'' films (1983–2015). She has appeared in over 60 films and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for h ...
, and
Wolfgang Bodison
Wolfgang Bodison (born November 19, 1966) is an American actor best known for playing Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson in the 1992 drama film ''A Few Good Men''.
Early life
Brian Wolfgang Bodison was born on November 19, 1966, in Washington, D.C. and was honored at the
Hollywood Film Festival
The Hollywood Film Festival is an annual film festival that takes place in Los Angeles, California, USA.
History
The Hollywood Film Festival was established in 1997 by author and producer Carlos de Abreu and his wife, model Janice Pennington.Pete ...
.
''Deuce Bigalow''
Goldberg became friends with ''
SNL'' alum
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael Schneider (; born October 31, 1963) is an American actor, comedian, and screenwriter. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'', he went on to a career in feature films, including starri ...
, and together they gave a series of stand-up comedy performances, including co-hosting the
Montreal Comedy Festival and a memorable appearance on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
'', where the duo performed as the satirical Blue Man Ass Group. Goldberg subsequently accompanied Schneider to Chicago, where Schneider was to be master of ceremonies at a fundraiser for President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
and Vice President
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...
. An hour before the event, Goldberg was asked to fill in by Clinton himself, after the
Secret Service
A secret service is a government agency, intelligence agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For ...
expressed concerns that Schneider's public image - he was then starring in ''
Men Behaving Badly
''Men Behaving Badly'' is a British sitcom that was created and written by Simon Nye. It follows the lives of Gary Strang (Martin Clunes) and his flatmates Dermot Povey (Harry Enfield; series 1 only) and Tony Smart (Neil Morrissey; series 2 on ...
'' - might reflect unfavorably on the President. Goldberg later described the experience as the most surreal of his life.
Goldberg went on to write and co-produce ''
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo'' under
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...
's
Happy Madison
Happy Madison Productions is an American film and television production company founded in 1999 by Adam Sandler, which is best known for its comedy films. Happy Madison takes its name from the films ''Happy Gilmore'' and ''Billy Madison'', two ...
shingle.
Touchstone acquired the project after a bidding war with
New Line
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
. Modestly budgeted at $16.5 million, the film was a box office success, grossing $68 million domestically and over $100 million internationally.
Goldberg next partnered with
Dana Carvey
Dana Thomas Carvey (born June 2, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his seven seasons as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1986 to 1993, which earned him fiv ...
, writing and co-producing ''
The Master of Disguise
''The Master of Disguise'' is a 2002 American adventure comedy film directed by Perry Andelin Blake in his directorial debut, written by Dana Carvey and Harris Goldberg, and starring Carvey, Brent Spiner, Jennifer Esposito, Harold Gould and Jam ...
'' for
Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio Conglomerate (company), conglom ...
, which grossed a profitable $40 million domestically. ''
Without a Paddle
''Without a Paddle'' is a 2004 American adventure comedy film directed by Steven Brill, written by Jay Leggett and Mitch Rouse, and based on a story by Harris Goldberg, Tom Nursall, and Fred Wolf. The film stars Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, Dax ...
'' followed, starring
Seth Green,
Matthew Lillard
Matthew Lyn Lillard (born January 24, 1970) is an American actor. His early film work includes Chip Sutphin in ''Serial Mom'' (1994), Emmanuel "Cereal Killer" Goldstein in ''Hackers'' (1995), Stu Macher in ''Scream'' (1996), Stevo in ''SLC Punk ...
,
Dax Sheppard and
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture.
Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...
which grossed $58 million for
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
.
Anxiety and ''Numb''
Goldberg crossed over to television writing during this period, selling pilots to HBO, CBS, NBC, ABC, TNT and USA. It was during this time that Goldberg developed
depersonalization disorder
Depersonalization-derealization disorder (DPDR, DPD) is a mental disorder in which the person has persistent or recurrent feelings of depersonalization or derealization. Depersonalization is described as feeling disconnected or detached from one ...
, an anxiety and stress reaction he calls the most hideous and frightening time of his life. He would go on to say that he did not know if he would make it from one day to the next.
After recovering, Goldberg wrote the screenplay ''
Numb'' about the experience. Actor
Matthew Perry
Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004).
As well as starring in the short-lived television series '' St ...
attached himself to the project, and soon afterward Goldberg landed his feature film directorial debut with a cast that included
Mary Steenburgen,
Kevin Pollak
Kevin Elliot Pollak (born October 30, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, impressionist and podcast host. He has appeared in over 80 films; his roles include Sam Weinberg in Rob Reiner's legal film ''A Few Good Men'', Jacob Goldman in '' Grump ...
, and
Lynn Collins
Viola Lynn Collins (born May 16, 1977) is an American actress. She has made television appearances in ''True Blood'' (2008), '' Manhunt: Unabomber'' (2017) and '' The Walking Dead'' (2021–2022), and is recognized for her roles in films such a ...
. The film won many festival awards, including Best Feature at Chicago's GenArt Film Festival and the Ojai International Film Festival. Goldberg has stated that the film was not only cathartic personally, but that it also proved helpful to many sufferers and drew attention to the disorder from the medical community.
In May 2013, Goldberg started his second directorial effort on ''
Alex & the List
''Alex & The List'' is an American romantic comedy film, directed by Harris Goldberg, from a screenplay by Goldberg and Kristen D'Alessio. It stars Jennifer Morrison, Patrick Fugit, and Karen Gillan.
The film was released on May 4, 2018, by Gra ...
.'' Shooting was completed in Los Angeles, and
Patrick Fugit
Patrick Raymond Fugit (; born October 27, 1982) is an American actor. He has appeared in the films ''Almost Famous'' (2000), ''White Oleander'' (2002), ''Spun'' (2003), ''Saved!'' (2004) and '' Wristcutters: A Love Story'' (2006), and portrayed ...
stars with
Jennifer Morrison
Jennifer Marie Morrison is an American actress, director, producer, and former child model. She is mainly known for her roles as Dr. Allison Cameron in the medical-drama series ''House'' (2004–2012) and Emma Swan in the ABC adventure-fantasy ...
,
Karen Gillan
Karen Sheila Gillan (; born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress. She gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for playing Amy Pond, a primary companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the science fiction seri ...
,
Aaron Staton
Aaron Staton (born August 10, 1980) is an American actor. He played Ken Cosgrove on the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015) and voiced Cole Phelps in the video game '' L.A. Noire'' (2011), for which he was nominated for a BAFTA for Best ...
,
Eddie Kaye Thomas
Eddie Kaye Thomas (born October 31, 1980) is an American actor who rose to prominence as Paul Finch in the ''American Pie'' film series. His other notable appearances include Andy Rosenberg in the ''Harold & Kumar'' series, Jeff Woodcock in ...
, Giles Martini,
JoBeth Williams
Margaret JoBeth Williams (born December 6, 1948) is an American actress and television director. Her directorial debut with the 1994 short film ''On Hope'' earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film. In 2009 she began ...
and
Victoria Tennant
Victoria Tennant (born 30 September 1950) is a British actress. She is known for her roles in the TV miniseries ''The Winds of War'' and ''War and Remembrance'', in which she appeared as actor Robert Mitchum's on-screen love interest, Pamela Tud ...
. The film was released on May 4, 2018, by Gravitas Ventures.
Teaching
Between projects, Goldberg began teaching film at UCLA with an emphasis on the practicalities of surviving the business. He subsequently became a professor of film and television at McMaster University in Ontario Canada. He also regularly contributes OP-EDS on personal experiences in the entertainment industry for The Hamilton Spectator, his hometown newspaper.
Upcoming
He will be writing and directing ''Quick Draw'', announced in 2017, starring Academy Award winner
Common
Common may refer to:
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts
* Clapham Common, originally com ...
.
Lorenzo Di Bonaventura
Lorenzo di Bonaventura (; born January 13, 1957) is an American film producer and founder and owner of Di Bonaventura Pictures. He is best known for producing the G.I. Joe and ''Transformers'' film series. The films he produced have earned over ...
will produce.
In February 2020 Goldberg's next feature, "ABILENE," was set to begin production in Toronto. Goldberg is currently writing/directing the television pilots "ALGONQUIN" for CBC Canada and "EARTHBOUND" for French-based PIXCOM MEDIA and ZDF in Germany.
References
External links
*
Hollywoodawards.comEvolvingpicturesentertainment.comDeadline.com* https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/9547838-from-hollywood-back-to-hamilton/
* https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/9617874-opinion-depression-and-anxiety-are-the-ultimate-humblers/
* https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/9704650-living-with-donald-trump-a-hamilton-perspective-in-hollywood/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldberg, Harris
1972 births
American film directors
American film producers
American male screenwriters
Canadian emigrants to the United States
Film producers from Ontario
Canadian male screenwriters
Film directors from Ontario
Living people
Writers from Hamilton, Ontario
21st-century Canadian screenwriters