Rob Edwards (born June 22, 1963) is an American television and feature film screenwriter and producer. His writing includes the Disney animated feature films ''
Treasure Planet
''Treasure Planet'' is a 2002 American animated science fiction film, science fiction adventure film directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and written by Musker, Clements and Rob Edwards (screenwriter), Rob Edwards. Produced by Walt Disney ...
''
and ''
The Princess and the Frog'', both of which were nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
In 2009, along with
Ron Clements and
John Musker, Edwards was awarded the Best Screenplay award from the
African-American Film Critics Association for ''The Princess and the Frog''.
Early career
After graduating from the
Cranbrook Schools in
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A northern Metro Detroit, suburb of Detroit on the Woodward Corridor, Bloomfield Hills is located roughly northwest of downtown Detroit, and is ...
, Edwards attended
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...
's College of Visual and Performing Arts in the Transmedia Department. He also serves on the
Cranbrook Schools Board of Governors.
Edwards moved to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
following graduation and gained success as a television writer. After writing for the long-running
ABC-TV series ''
Full House
''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The show is about the recently widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend ...
'', Edwards went on to become a writer,
story editor, and consultant for several prime time series including
Bill Cosby
William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...
's ''
A Different World'' and the
Golden Globe nominated ''
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air''.
Edwards was also an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nominee for the long-running sketch comedy show ''
In Living Color''.
Edwards is also credited with creating the
NBC sitcom ''Out All Night'' which starred
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and actress. She has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godmother of Soul". LaBelle began ...
,
Morris Chestnut and
Vivica A. Fox. Throughout the 1990s, Edwards wrote and produced for television networks and on series including ''
Roc'', ''
The Parent 'Hood'', and ''
In the House''.
Film
Edwards next shifted his focus to feature films and joined
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that produces animated feature films and short films for the Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a s ...
as a writer. His first film, ''
Treasure Planet
''Treasure Planet'' is a 2002 American animated science fiction film, science fiction adventure film directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and written by Musker, Clements and Rob Edwards (screenwriter), Rob Edwards. Produced by Walt Disney ...
'', was released in 2002 and starred a voice cast that included
Joseph Gordon-Levitt,
Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian and American comedian, actor, and writer. Short is known as an energetic comedian who gained prominence for his roles in sketch comedy. He has also acted in numerous films and television ...
,
Emma Thompson,
Patrick McGoohan, as well as famed voice-over actors
Corey Burton and
Tony Jay. Though the film fared poorly at the box office, it was a critical success for Edwards and went on to earn eight
Annie Award
The Annie Awards are accolades which the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, has presented each year since 1972 to recognize excellence in animation shown in American cinema and television. Origina ...
nominations and an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nomination for Best Animated Feature.
Edwards returned to the screen with 2009's ''
The Princess and the Frog'', a critical and box office success. The film was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Animated Feature Oscar.
On both films, Edwards worked with the Disney Animation team of
Ron Clements and
John Musker (''
The Little Mermaid'', ''
Aladdin''). In 2011, ''
Variety'' reported that Edwards was collaborating on projects with producers
Robert Zemeckis, Bob Cooper,
Jack Rapke
and with
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...
,
Dan Fogelman
Dan Fogelman (born February 19, 1976) is an American screenwriter, film director, and producer, whose screenplays include ''Cars (film), Cars'', ''Bolt (2008 film), Bolt'', ''Tangled'', and ''Crazy, Stupid, Love''. He also created the 2012 televi ...
, and
Reggie Hudlin.
In June 2021, Edwards was announced to write the script and make his directorial debut on the animated film ''
Sneaks''.
Filmography
Television
* ''Better Days'' (1986)
* ''
Full House
''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The show is about the recently widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend ...
'' (1988)
* ''
A Different World'' (1988–89)
* ''The Marshall Chronicles'' (1990)
* ''
In Living Color'' (1990–92)
* ''
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' (1990–91)
* ''
Out All Night'' (1992–93)
* ''
Roc'' (1993–94)
* ''
The Parent 'Hood'' (1995)
* ''
The Naked Truth'' (1995–96)
* ''
In the House'' (1996–97)
References
External links
*http://www.robedwards.net
*
*Scripts & Scribe Intervie
with Rob Edwards
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Rob
1963 births
Living people
African-American screenwriters
Animation screenwriters
Syracuse University alumni
Writers from Detroit
Cranbrook Educational Community alumni
Screenwriters from Michigan
Screenwriters from New York (state)
Walt Disney Animation Studios people