Grumpier Old Men

Background:

American film director and writer Mark Steven Johnson made an auspicious debut as the writer of the popular comedy “Grumpy Old Men” (1993) and its installment, “Grumpier Old Men” (1995), both starring screen legends Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. After making his directorial debut in “Simon Birch” (1998), in which he also wrote the screenplay, he went on to helm (and write the screenplay) the two comic book based films “Daredevil” (2003) and “Ghost Rider” (2007), which starred Ben Affleck and Nicolas Cage, respectively.

Johnson is the co-founder of Horseshoe Bay Productions, along with veteran producer Gary Foster. Formed in 1997, the full service production company aims to develop, produce, write and direct motion pictures. Among films the company has produced are 2001's “The Score,” 2005's “Elektra” and 2006's “Succubus.”

Minnesota Native

Childhood and Family:

Mark Steven Johnson was born on October 30, 1964, in Hastings, Minnesota. He was a journalism student at Winona State University before transferring to California State University Long Beach. He graduated with a B.A. degree.

Director of Ghost Rider

Career:

Prior entering show business, Mark Steven Johnson worked as an assistant for a television attorney at Orion Pictures. It was not until 1993 that he switched his focus to film. 29-year-old Johnson scripted “Grumpy Old Men,” a comedy/drama starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau and helmed by Donald Petrie. The film went on to become a hit and Johnson received positive response for his work. He was then hired to write the sequel “Grumpier Old Men” (1995), which won a 1996 People's Choice Award for Favorite Comedy Motion Picture.

Johnson resurfaced in 1996 with the writing of “Big Bully,” a comedy/drama helmed by Steve Miner and starring the Razzie Award winner Tom Arnold. However, he did not make his debut as writer-director until two years later with the moving drama “Simon Birch” (1998), which he adapted from the John Irving novel “A Prayer for Owen Meany.” Under his direction, star Ian Michael Smith successfully brought such honors as the Critics Choice Award for Best Child Performance at the 1999 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, the Grace Award from the MovieGuide Awards and a Young Artist nomination for Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actor. The film itself was nominated for a Best Family Feature – Drama at the Young Artist Awards.

Also in 1998, Johnson returned to the writing territory with “Jack Frost.” The box office disaster starred Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston and Joseph Cross and helmed by Troy Miller.

Johnson disappeared for several years after “Jack Frost.” He returned to the director's chair in 2003 for the based-on-comic book “Daredevil,” which he also scripted. It starred Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock / Daredevil and Jennifer Garner as Elektra Natchios. Johnson had previously work with Ben Affleck in the Kevin Smith film “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” (2001), where Johnson had an uncredited part as movie director and Affleck played the character Holden McNeil.

In 2005, Johnson served as executive producer in the Rob Bowman-directed action/adventure “Elektra.” He then scripted and directed “Ghost Rider” (2007), based on the Marvel character, stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze (played by Nicolas Cage). The film was nominated for a Saturn for Best Horror Film at the 2008 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (USA).

Johnson's new film, “When in Rome,” jointly written by David Diamond and David Weissman, is set for 2009 release. The drama/romance will star Anjelica Huston, Don Johnson, Danny DeVito and Kristen Bell.

Awards:
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