Peter Tolan
Peter Tolan | |
---|---|
Born | Peter James Tolan III July 5, 1958 |
Occupation(s) | Screenwriter, director, producer |
Years active | 1989–present |
Spouse | Leslie Tolan |
Children | 3 |
Peter James Tolan III (born July 5, 1958) is an American television producer, director, and screenwriter.
Early life and career
Tolan was born in
Tolan attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst for four years before dropping out to directly pursue theater. From college Tolan went to Minneapolis' Brave New Workshop (founded by improv great Dudley Riggs) at the suggestion of UMass employee Jim MacRostie, who had appeared at the Twin Cities institution during its early years. Riggs offered Tolan a job over the phone, but when Tolan arrived in Minneapolis several months later, he discovered that the job was that of janitor at the theater.
Within a year, Tolan became the musical director for the theater's touring company, and after that graduated to appearing as a member of the main stage cast. In the mid 80's, Tolan moved to New York City, where he and fellow writer-performer Linda Wallem formed a double act called Wallem & Tolan and began performing on the cabaret circuit in New York City at such venues as Don't Tell Mama, Eighty-Eights and Broadway Baby. Wallem and Tolan were known for their sketch work and for musical material (written by Tolan) that became the cornerstone of their act. After an extended run at the Manhattan Punch Line Theater, the act was mounted Off-Broadway at the Theater at St. Peter's Church in 1989. Titled Laughing Matters, the show was produced by Sanford Fisher and Zev Guber and directed by Broadway veteran Martin Charnin. For his work in the show, Tolan was named Outstanding Lyricist of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Show by the Burns Mantle Theater Yearbook 1988-1989 Best Plays.
Television
Tolan began his career writing for short-lived
After writing for several more programs (
In February, 2013, Entertainment Weekly reported that "Tolan landed Greg Kinnear to play a defense lawyer with 'zero filter'" on a Fox Broadcasting Company television program entitled Rake.[6] Tolan has also produced pilots with comedian Jim Gaffigan and another based on the Israeli series Bilti Hafich through Fedora Entertainment, the production company he started with partners Michael Wimer and Leslie Tolan.
Film
Tolan has also found success in film, having written the hit comedy Analyze This and its sequel Analyze That as well as the films My Fellow Americans, Bedazzled, America's Sweethearts, Guess Who and Just Like Heaven. In 2008 Tolan made his directorial debut with Finding Amanda, a semi-autobiographical[7] film starring Matthew Broderick and Brittany Snow.
Personal life
Tolan is married to editor Leslie Tolan. They have three children; sons Peter John and Benjamin Mark, and daughter Beatrice Grace. He later came out as gay, but it is unclear if he remains married to Leslie.[8]
Filmography
- Carol and Company(1990) (TV)
- Wish You Were Here(1990) (TV)
- Home Improvement (1991) (TV)
- Murphy Brown (1991–1993) (TV)
- The Larry Sanders Show (1992–1998) (TV)
- Good Advice (1994) (TV)
- The George Wendt Show (1995) (TV)
- Buddies (1996) (TV)
- My Fellow Americans (with E. Jack Kaplan and Richard Chapman) (1996)
- Ellen (1997) (TV)
- The Dave Chappelle Project (1998) (TV)
- Style & Substance (1998) (TV)
- Analyze This (with Harold Ramis and Kenneth Lonergan) (1999)
- What Planet Are You From? (with Garry Shandling, Michael J. Leeson and Ed Solomon) (2000)
- Bedazzled (with Harold Ramis and Larry Gelbart) (2000)
- America's Sweethearts (with Billy Crystal) (2001)
- The Job (2001–2002) (TV) (also co-creator, with Denis Leary)
- My Adventures in Television (2002) (TV)
- Stealing Harvard (with Martin Hynes) (2002)
- Analyze That (with Harold Ramis and Peter Steinfeld) (2002)
- Phil at the Gate (with Phil Hendrie) (2003) (TV)
- Rescue Me (2004–2011) (TV) (also co-creator, with Denis Leary)
- Guess Who (with David Ronn and Jay Scherick) (2005)
- Just Like Heaven (with Leslie Dixon) (2005)
- Fort Pit (2007) (TV)
- Finding Amanda (2008) (TV)
- The End of Steve (2008) (TV)
- Council of Dads(2011) (TV pilot)
- Rake (2014) (TV)
- The Jim Gaffigan Show (2015–2016) (TV)
- Outsiders (2016–2017) (TV)
- Guess Who Died (with Norman Lear) (2018) (TV)
- Mad About You (2019) (TV)
References
- ^ a b "Awards for Peter Tolan". IMDb. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
- ^ "TV Review: "The Job"". Entertainment Weekly. 2001-03-08. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
- ^ "Peter Tolan". Variety. 17 December 2013.
- ^ "'Rescue Me Renewed'". 22 August 2005. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^ "'Rescue Me' Finale Draws Solid Ratings". 8 September 2011. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^ Hibberd, James (February 22, 2013). "Hollywood Insider: What's Going on Behind the Scenes: TV's Pilot Season Goes (Very) High-Concept". Entertainment Weekly. New York: Time Inc. p. 26.
- ^ "Exclusive: Peter Tolan is Finding Amanda". Comingsoon.net. 23 June 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
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- ^ "Denis Leary Calls 'Rescue Me' Co-Creator Peter Tolan 'Gay' -- And He Is". The Hollywood Reporter. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
External links
- Peter Tolan at IMDb