Walter F. Parkes Biography

Fast Facts

• Is a supporter of the non-profit group Para Los Niños Charter School for L․A․'s children of the working poor and the Starlight Foundation for chronically ill children
• Made Premiere Magazine's annual "Power 100 List" with his wife/producing partner, ranking No․ 33 in 2002 and No․ 22 in 2003
• Graduated from Yale University in 1973 and went on to study communications and documentary film at Stanford University
• Married producer Laurie MacDonald, a production executive for DreamWorks, in 1983, and they have two children, Jane MacDonald and Graham Joseph
• While attending Stanford, co-directed with Keith Critchlow his first feature film, "The California Reich," leading to an Oscar nomination and a special selection at the Cannes Film Festival
• Quote: "[on the appeal of lead actors] "There are certain big movies that are only made because of the charisma of the star, and there are other big movies that hopefully the concept of the picture is enough․""
• Was named president of famed director Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment in 1994 and later asked to help create DreamWorks SKG motion picture studio
• Executive producer whose work includes the "Men in Black" trilogy, "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), "Minority Report" (2002), "The Mask of Zorro" (1998) and many other films