Next person biography:
Michael Wellman was born and raised in the Midwest, where he initially pursued a career in music. However, his passion for the theatre grew during his graduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He had the opportunity to study under renowned instructors Lee Strasberg and Peggy Feury at the Strasberg Institute and The Loft Theater, further honing his craft over a decade.
His big break came when he was cast as Lee Marvin's son in the Paramount film "The Klansman," starring alongside Lee Marvin and Richard Burton. This marked the beginning of his extensive career in episodic television, theatre, and motion pictures, with notable roles in films such as "Sudden Impact," "Sommersby," "Street of Dreams," and "Curfew."
As a writer, Wellman collaborated with UCLA friend Alex Lasker to adapt the book "Firefox" for the screen, working with director Clint Eastwood. He went on to work with Eastwood on three projects, including co-writing "Firefox" and doing on-set revisions for "Sudden Impact." Wellman played the role of Tyrone in the latter film, but took no credit for his work. Eastwood, however, rewarded Wellman generously by persuading Warner Bros to offer him a two-picture writing deal.
Wellman's subsequent work included adapting the novel "Fair Game" for the screen, with Sylvester Stallone set to star in the film "Cobra." Although Wellman lost his screen credit in a close arbitration, he continued to work on paid studio writing assignments at Paramount, Universal, Fox, and Embassy Pictures.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Wellman has also shared his expertise by lecturing and teaching screenwriting courses at various institutions, including UCLA, the Santa Fe Screenwriting Festival, "Artists and Residents" in Lewisburg, West Virginia, and StoryBoard at Fox Studios in Los Angeles.
