Arthur Howson was born in Melbourne, Australia, where he began his career in show business at the tender age of seven as a tap dancer, singer, and child actor. By his 21st birthday, he had already starred in 21 major theatrical productions. Ever restless, he became fascinated with writing his own songs and went on to enjoy immense success, with his compositions recorded by renowned acts such as Little River Band, Richie Havens, Dan Hill, Marc Jordan, Eric Idle, Kate Ceberano, Venetta Fields, and Guy Pearce, among others.
Howson's creative endeavors continued to flourish, as he discovered and published the band Pseudo Echo, which enjoyed significant chart success internationally and secured a top 3 hit in the United States. He also recorded his own singles and achieved success in his homeland. Furthermore, he headed a thriving music publishing and recording company, cementing his reputation as a talented and innovative musician.
As his career progressed, Howson expanded his creative horizons by writing and producing numerous hit theater shows, garnering widespread respect in Australia for his productions designed for children. In 1987, he penned and produced the movie Boulevard of Broken Dreams, which earned seven AFI Award nominations, including Best Film, and eventually won two. This was followed by a string of successful films, including What the Moon Saw, Hunting, Beyond My Reach, My Forgotten Man, and others.
Howson's work has been recognized and rewarded numerous times, with his 1989 Producer of the Year Award from Film Victoria being a notable achievement. His films have been acquired by prominent companies such as Miramax, Disney, Warner, Village Roadshow, Paramount, J&M Entertainment, Filmstar, ABC, Hoyts, Skouras, and others.
After a prolonged and tumultuous partnership, Howson relocated to Los Angeles in 1997, where he continues to reside. He has since been commissioned to write several screenplays for various producers and has remained active in the industry. In 2000, Arthur Hiller optioned the rights to Howson's screenplay, "The Lonely Heart," and the same year, he was commissioned by Joe Eszterhas to write original songs for the movie An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn.
During this period, Howson was approached by acclaimed English actor Steven Berkoff to direct the TV adaptation of his hit off-Broadway play, "Shakespeare's Villains." In July 2001, he married actress Terri Garber in Miami, Florida. Although he temporarily retired from show business during their time together, he has since written new songs recorded by Little River Band on their 2004 album, "Test of Time."
In recent years, Howson has been involved in various projects, including his role as President of the Jury for the Melbourne Underground Film Festival in 2005 and his current work on writing his memoirs about his life in the movie business. His award-winning song "Andre" was premiered at the Royal Albert Hall by Judith Durham during her latest U.K. tour.
