Who is Edward Zwick? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Edward M. Zwick

Age: 71 Years, 71 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Liberty Godshall (m. 1982)

father: Allen Zwick

mother: Ruth Ellen Zwick

children: Frankie Zwick, Jesse Zwick

Born Country: United States

Directors Screenwriters

Height: 5'7" (170 cm), 5'7" Males

Notable Alumni: AFI Conservatory

City: Chicago, Illinois

U.S. State: Illinois

More Facts

education: Harvard University, AFI Conservatory

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Career

Edward Zwick started working soon after graduation. He first worked as a journalist and editor for magazines like ‘The New Republic’ and ‘Rolling Stone’ before stepping into the show business. He made his television debut as a director and writer in ABC’s family drama series ‘Family’ in 1979. He went on to work on television movies like ‘Paper Dolls’ (1982) and made-for-TV screwball comedy ‘Having It All’ (1982). In 1983, he wrote, directed, and produced the television movie ‘Special Bulletin’. He then moved on to direct feature films in 1986 with the movie ‘About Last Night...’ He wrote, directed and produced the hit ABC series ‘thirtysomething’ in 1987, followed by serving as the executive producer of ‘CBS Summer Playhouse’ the same year.

In 1989, he directed the critically acclaimed drama film ‘Glory’ and earned a ‘Golden Globe Award’ for his work. He again moved to television before returning to the film industry by directing ‘Leaving Normal’ in 1992, followed by ‘Legends of the Fall’ (1994) which he also produced. After serving as the executive producer on the teen drama series ‘My So-Called Life’ from 1994 to 1995, he directed the movie ‘Courage Under Fire’ in 1996. In 1998, he produced movies like ‘Dangerous Beauty’ and ‘Shakespeare in Love’, the latter of which was critically acclaimed and won an ‘Academy Award.’ In 1999, he wrote, directed, and produced the TV series ‘Once and Again’. He then produced the crime drama film ‘Traffic’ in 2000; it received a nomination for an ‘Academy Award’.

After producing movies like ‘I Am Sam’ (2001) and ‘Abandon’ (2002), he wrote, directed and produced another award-winning film ‘The Last Samurai’ in 2003. He then directed and produced movies like ‘Blood Diamond’ (2006) and ‘Defiance’ (2008), which he also wrote. On television, he wrote and served as the executive producer of series like ‘Quarterlife’ (2008) and ‘A Marriage’ (2009). He served as the writer, director, and producer of the 2010 movie ‘Love & Other Drugs’. In 2014, he produced movies like ‘Boys of Abu Ghraib’, ‘About Alex’, and ‘Pawn Sacrifice,’ which he also directed. In 2016, he wrote and directed the movie ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’, wrote the story of ‘The Great Wall’, and produced ‘The Birth of a Nation’ along with the TV series ‘Nashville’ (2016-18). In 2018, he directed and produced the film ‘Trial by Fire’.

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Family & Personal Life

Edward Zwick was born on October 8, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois, to Ruth Ellen (née Reich) and Allen Zwick. He is of Jewish decadent. He studied at New Trier High School, Illinois. He then moved to study at Harvard University where received an A.B. (equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in arts) in 1974. He then got enrolled at the AFI Conservatory, from where he graduated in 1975 with a Master of Fine Arts degree.

On 24 October 1982, he married writer Lynn Liberty Godshall. He has two children with her. His son Jesse Zwick was born in 1986; he is a director. His daughter Frankie Zwick, born in 1993, is a musician. Raymond Godshall Jr. is his father-in-law.

He is the co-owner of a production company named ‘The Bedford Falls Company’, which he runs along with Marshall Herskovitz.

1988	Outstanding Drama Series	Thirtysomething (1987)
1983	Outstanding Drama Special	Special Bulletin (1983)
1983	Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special	Special Bulletin (1983)

Edward Zwick Biography