J. F. Lawton, a renowned screenwriter, was born on August 11, 1960, in Riverside, California, to a family of writers. His father, Harry Lawton, was an acclaimed author, whose novel "Willie Boy: A Desert Manhunt" (1960) was adapted into the movie "Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here" (1969),starring Robert Redford.
Lawton's early life was marked by challenges due to severe dyslexia, which made school a difficult experience. However, his determination to pursue a career in screenwriting never wavered. After completing high school, he enrolled in California State University in Long Beach to study filmmaking.
Following his education, Lawton relocated to Los Angeles and worked in various post-production companies, honing his skills as a writer. During this period, he penned several feature film scripts, including "Three Thousand," which was selected by the Sundance Institute. Touchstone Pictures acquired the script, and Lawton later renamed it "Pretty Woman" (1990),starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. The film's massive success earned Julia Roberts a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, while Lawton received nominations for a Writers Guild of America Award and a British Academy Award.
Lawton's subsequent projects included writing and executive producing "Under Siege" (1992),a thriller starring Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gary Busey, which broke box office records and spawned a successful sequel. He also co-wrote "Mistress" (1992),a comedy starring Robert De Niro, Danny Aiello, Christopher Walken, and Martin Landau, and was involved in the production of "Blankman" (1994),a comedy co-written with Damon Wayans.
Lawton's directorial debut was "The Hunted" (1995),an action film starring Christopher Lambert, John Lone, and Joan Chen. He continued to work in the industry, writing and directing "Chain Reaction" (1996),an action-thriller featuring Morgan Freeman, Keanu Reeves, and Rachel Weisz.
For television, Lawton created and executive produced the successful syndicated show "V.I.P." (1998),starring Pamela Anderson, which blended action and humor in a fast-paced adventure series. The show ran for five seasons.
Lawton's subsequent projects include writing the script for "DOA: Dead or Alive" (2006),a film based on the popular video game series, and directing the comedy-drama-musical "Jackson" (2008),starring Barry Primus, Charles Robinson, Steve Guttenberg, and Debra Jo Rupp.
Currently, Lawton is working on a script with South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, which is in development at Paramount Studios. Throughout his illustrious career, Lawton has demonstrated his versatility as a writer, director, and producer, leaving an indelible mark on the film and television industries.
