Pamela Wallace (born 1949 in Exeter, California) 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. ...

and author. She won an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

for co-writing the screenplay for the movie ''

Witness In law, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, whether they have sensed it or are testifying on another witnesses' behalf. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, e ...

''. Wallace has also written 25

romance novels A romance novel or romantic novel generally refers to a type of genre fiction novel which places its primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and usually has an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." P ...

, under her own name and the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individu ...

s Pamela Simpson and Dianne King.

Screenwriting

Pamela Wallace co-wrote her first screenplay in the early 1980s. It was rejected multiple times but was finally purchased by producer Edward S. Feldman. The resulting film, ''

'', was released in 1985 and starred

Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...

and

Kelly McGillis Kelly Ann McGillis (born July 9, 1957) is an American stage actress. She is known for her film roles such as Rachel Lapp in ''Witness'' (1985), for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations; Charlie in ''Top Gun'' (1986); '' Made in ...

. Wallace received the Academy Award for

Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...

in 1986 for her work on ''Witness''. The script also won awards from the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award, ...

and the

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO * The Writers Gui ...

. The Writers Guild later named ''Witness'' to their list of the Top 101 Greatest Scripts. In the late 1980s, Wallace collaborated with fellow screenwriter Madeline DiMaggio on a screenplay they called ''If The Shoe Fits''. This was made into a low-budget movie that barely resembled their script. Wallace was given the opportunity to remove her name from the movie credits, but she chose to keep the credit for her resume despite her dislike of the movie. By the late 1990s, Wallace was once again writing successful screenplays. She wrote the first segment of the award-winning 1996 HBO movie, '' If These Walls Could Talk''. The following year, ''Borrowed Hearts'' became one of the highest-rated CBS movies. Wallace also adapted one of her own novels, ''Straight From the Heart'' into a screenplay for

Hallmark Channel The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies an ...

. The resulting movie became the highest-rated film for the network in 2003. She also penned the screenplay for the 2006

movie '' Though None Go with Me'', starring

Cheryl Ladd Cheryl Ladd (born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor; July 12, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series ''Charlie's Angels'', whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 t ...

. She has written several other Hallmark Channel and Lifetime Network movies.

Novels

Wallace has written 25

. These have been published under her own name, as well as the pseudonyms Dianne King and Pamela Simpson. An additional pen name, Pamela Simpson, came about through a collaboration with Carla Simpson, who had previously written eleven

historical romance Historical romance is a broad category of mass-market fiction focusing on romantic relationships in historical periods, which Walter Scott helped popularize in the early 19th century. Varieties Viking These books feature Vikings during the Dark ...

novels under the pseudonym Quinn Taylor Evans. In the early 1990s the pair completed three contemporary romantic suspense novels. The novels were translated into seven languages. Two of them, ''Fortune's Child'' and ''Partners in Time'', were optioned for film. In 2000, Wallace wrote a

nonfiction Nonfiction, or non-fiction, is any document or media content that attempts, in good faith, to provide information (and sometimes opinions) grounded only in facts and real life, rather than in imagination. Nonfiction is often associated with be ...

book called ''You Can Write a Screenplay''. Drawing on her own experiences in Hollywood, the book walked readers through the entire screenwriting process, beginning with the initial idea. It provided tips for writing the screenplay, as well as advice on how to sell the completed work.

Producer

She has served as an executive producer for the cable television series "Beyond the Break", as well as for the television movies ''Last Chance Cafe'' and ''A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride''.

Filmography

*''

Love's Unending Legacy ''Love's Unending Legacy'' is a 2007 made-for-television Christian drama film based on a series of books by Janette Oke. It originally aired on Hallmark Channel on April 7, 2007. It was directed by Mark Griffiths and stars Erin Cottrell. It is th ...

'' (2007) (TV) *''Last Chance Cafe'' (2006) (TV) *'' Though None Go with Me'' (2006) (TV) *'' Meet the Santas'' (2005) (TV) *''Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus'' (2004) (TV) *'' Straight From the Heart'' (2003) (TV) *''Borrowed Hearts'' (1997) (TV) *''Alibi'' (1997) (TV) *'' If These Walls Could Talk'' (1996) (TV) (segment "1952") *''A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn Warmus Story'' (1992) (TV) *''If the Shoe Fits'' (1990) (TV) *'' Tears in the Rain'' (1988) (TV) *''

'' (1985)

Selected bibliography

Fiction

*''Dream Lost, Dreams Found'' *''Love with the Perfect Stranger'' *''Straight From the Heart'' *''Tears in the Rain''

as Pamela Simpson

*''Fortune's Child'' (with Carla Simpson) *''Partners in Time'' (with Carla Simpson)

Nonfiction

*''You Can Write a Screenplay'' (2000)

References

External links

*
Talk Story Productions
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wallace, Pamela 20th-century American novelists American romantic fiction writers Screenwriters from California American women novelists American women screenwriters Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners 1949 births Living people Women romantic fiction writers 20th-century American women writers People from Exeter, California Screenwriting instructors Novelists from California 21st-century American women