Jack Epps Jr. (born November 3, 1949) is an American

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

, author, and

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

, known chiefly for such popular 1980s films as ''

Top Gun ''Top Gun'' is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired by an a ...

'', '' Legal Eagles'', and '' The Secret of My Success'', which he wrote with longtime partner

Jim Cash James Willis Cash (January 17, 1941 – March 25, 2000) was an American film writer, noted for writing such 1980s films as ''Top Gun'' and '' The Secret of My Success''. Early life Cash was born on January 17, 1941, in Boyne City, Michigan. ...

. Epps Jr. graduated from the College of Arts and Letters at

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

, and he has since gone on to teach at the University of Southern California.

Career

Epps Jr. came to California to become a director, but he did not have the money or know-how to do so. He decided to first write a script and to hope that this would lead to directing. Partnering with Anderson House, they sold a script to ''Hawaii Five-O''. He continued to work with House for a few years, before partnering with Jim Cash.

''Top Gun'' and later successes

After completing seven unproduced screenplays together, Epps Jr. and Cash produced ''Top Gun''. This film went on to become the number-one worldwide box office hit in 1986. After this, they quickly wrote other screenplays that were produced, including '' Legal Eagles'' and '' The Secret of My Success''. Epps has co-authored over 25 screenplays and eight motion pictures that he produced well into the following decade, including ''

Turner & Hooch ''Turner & Hooch'' is a 1989 American buddy cop comedy film starring Tom Hanks and Beasley the Dog as the eponymous characters respectively. The film also co-stars Mare Winningham, Craig T. Nelson and Reginald VelJohnson. It was directed by Rog ...

'', ''

Dick Tracy ''Dick Tracy'' is an American comic strip featuring Dick Tracy (originally Plainclothes Tracy), a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on Sunday, October 4, 1931, in the ''Detroit Mirror'', and it ...

'', and '' Anaconda''. He wrote for some of the most successful actors in the industry including Tom Cruise,

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...

, Tom Hanks, Warren Beatty and others.

Teaching

Epps Jr. is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Writing for Screen and Television Division in the School of Cinematic Arts, at the University of Southern California. Using techniques he had developed over his career and applied to classes, he authored a screenwriting manual, ''Screenwriting is Rewriting: The Art and Craft of Professional Revision'', in 2016.

Awards and honors

Epps Jr. was awarded on an honorary doctorate of fine arts by Michigan State University at their 2009 commencement. He is also the recipient of the Michigan State University Spartans in Hollywood Award. He is part of the Writers Guild of America where he has been a member for three decades and he is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Filmography

*'' Hawaii Five-O'' (1976) (TV) *'' Kojak'' (1976) (TV) *''Dangerously'' (with

) (1978) (unproduced) *''

Pigs vs. Freaks ''Off Sides (Pigs vs. Freaks)'' (originally titled ''Pigs vs. Freaks'') is a 1984 American made-for-television sports comedy film. Based on a short film by Jack Epps Jr., the feature-length film was scheduled for release in 1980 but was not actua ...

'' (with Gordon T. Dawson) (1984) (TV) *'' Izzy and Moe'' (with

, Steven Patrick Bell and Robert Boris) (1985) (TV) (story only) *''

'' (with

) (1986) *'' Legal Eagles'' (with

) (1986) *'' The Secret of My Success'' (with

and

A.J. Carothers A. J. Carothers (October 22, 1931 – April 9, 2007) was an American playwright and television writer, best known for his work with Walt Disney. Life and career Born in Houston, Texas on October 22, 1931, Carothers was older than his two ...

) (1987) *''

'' (with

Dennis Shryack Dennis Shryack (August 25, 1936 – September 14, 2016) was an American screenwriter. Born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, Shryack began his career as a singer in The Escorts quartet, which toured as an opening act for well-known artists such ...

, Michael Blodgett, and

Daniel Petrie Jr. Daniel Mannix Petrie Jr. (born November 30, 1951) is a Canadian-American producer, writer, and director of film and television. He is best known for pioneering the sub-genres of action comedy and buddy cop films through films like ''Beverly Hil ...

) (1989) *''

'' (with

) (1990) *'' Anaconda'' (with

and Hans Bauer) (1997) (producer) *'' The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas'' (with

Deborah Kaplan Deborah Kaplan (born November 11, 1970) is an American screenwriter and film director. Early life Deborah Kaplan was born and raised in Abington, Pennsylvania. Born to Susan Kaplan. She went to Abington Senior High School, which is the schoo ...

and Harry Elfont) (2000) *'' Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid'' (with

and Hans Bauer) (2004) (story, elements from the original ''Anaconda'' script) *'' Top Gun: Maverick'' (based on characters created with Jim Cash) (2022) (story only) (screenplay from the film ''Top Gun'')

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Epps, Jack Jr. 1949 births Living people 20th-century male writers University of Southern California faculty Writers from Detroit Writers of books about writing fiction American information and reference writers American instructional writers American male non-fiction writers American male screenwriters Screenwriters from California Screenwriting instructors Film producers from Michigan Screenwriters from Michigan