Stewart Stern
Birth Name:
Stewart Henry Stern
Birth Place:
New York City, New York, United States
Profession
Writer, Actor
Fast Facts
- Served in the U․S․ Army during World War II, where he fought at the Battle of the Bulge and earned a Bronze Star
- With John Jacobsen, he co-founded and taught screenwriting classes at the non-profit organization the Film School, and also taught at the University of Washington
- Nephew by marriage of Paramount Pictures founder Adolph Zukor
- Began his career in Hollywood as a dialogue director, becoming so good at rewriting awkward lines that he turned to screenwriting
- Co-wrote his first film, the 1951 drama "Teresa," with Alfred Hayes
- Quote: "I discovered [in the Army] that everyone ․․․ is, fundamentally, a sensitive, responsive person ․․․ [which] informed my writing of 'Rebel' - especially this whole question of the masks we feel we need to wear ․․․ and what exactly defines a 'man․'"
- Quote: "[on leaving Hollywood] "Writing on assignment ․․․ got very scary for me․ My dread of not being perfect, something I got from a childhood surrounded by powerful, successful people, began to infect everything I wrote․""
- Best known as the screenwriter of "Rebel Without a Cause," "Sybil" and "Rachel, Rachel․"
- Left Hollywood and his screenwriting career to move to Seattle in the mid-1980s, with his final feature film being, fittingly, 1971's "The Last Movie," although he continued to write for television until his departure
- Based the character Jim Stark in "Rebel Without a Cause" on his teenage self and the character's detached and unloving parents on his own
- Wrote the book "No Tricks in My Pocket: Paul Newman Directs," following Newman's directing of the 1987 film adaptation of "The Glass Menagerie," in 1989
Awards
- 1952Oscar - Best Writing, Motion Picture Story:Nominated
- 1964WGA Award (Screen) - Best Written American Drama:Nominated
- 1969Oscar - Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium:Nominated
- 1969WGA Award (Screen) - Best Written American Drama:Nominated
- 1977Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy - Adaptation:Winner
- 1979WGA Award (TV) - Anthology Adaptation:Winner