Kevin Jarre was born on August 6, 1954, in Detroit, Michigan, to actress Laura Devon and her second husband, Cleland B. Clark, a photographic illustrator who combined ranching and fashion photography, and was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.
After his parents divorced, Jarre lived in Wyoming with his father, whom he referred to as Hemingwayesque. He later moved to Los Angeles to live with his mother.
Jarre got small acting parts in the television series "Flipper", which starred Brian Kelly, his mother's then-husband. She would later divorce Kelly and marry French composer Maurice Jarre, who adopted Kevin.
Initially, Jarre wanted to become an actor, but he was encouraged to try screenwriting. He began writing scripts, and his big break came when he was hired to write the story for "Rambo: First Blood Part II" starring Sylvester Stallone.
Jarre then worked on "The Tracker", a period Western for HBO starring Kris Kristofferson and directed by John Guillermin. He also wrote the screenplay for the critically acclaimed historical war drama "Glory", about the 54th Massachusetts regiment, which won three Oscars.
Jarre received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Screenplay and a WGA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Glory".
By 1990, Jarre had written and acquired two more scripts, "Judgment Night" and "The Devil's Own", both of which were later rewritten and released in 1993 and 1997, respectively.
In 1991, Jarre began work on a script for "Tombstone", his retelling of the O.K. Corral gunfight and the events that followed. However, he was dismissed from the project and replaced by George P. Cosmatos.
Jarre continued to work as a script doctor, earning producer credits and working on many films, including the 1997 film "The Jackal".
In addition to his writing and directing work, Jarre had a few acting credits, including appearances in the 1985 short film "A Hero of Our Time" and the 1988 thriller film "Gotham".
Jarre was a mentor and booster to many aspiring writers and directors, including his cousin Abigail, for whom he appeared in her 2009 short film "She Found Them on the Train Tracks".
Kevin Jarre died on April 3, 2011, at the age of 56, in Santa Monica.
