John Paxton
Encyclopedia
John Paxton was an American
screenwriter
.
in 1944, Cornered
in 1945, Crossfire
in 1947 (an adaptation of the controversial novel The Brick Foxhole that earned him his only Oscar
nomination). He helped adapt the screenplay for the controversial movie The Wild One
in 1953 starring Marlon Brando
, and his adaptation of the Nevil Shute
novel On the Beach appeared in 1959. Paxton's work twice received the Mystery Writers of America
's Edgar Award
for Best Motion Picture Screenplay, for Murder, My Sweet and Crossfire.
He won a Golden Globe and an award from the Writers Guild of America
in 1971 for his screenplay to the Walter Matthau
film Kotch
.
Before coming to Hollywood in the 1940s, Paxton worked as a journalist and a publicist.
Paxton was an uncle of comic book writer Ed Brubaker
as well as retired army intelligence officer, Col. David O. Paxton.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Biography
Some of his films include Murder, My SweetMurder, My Sweet
Murder, My Sweet is a 1944 American film noir directed by Edward Dmytryk, and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, and Anne Shirley. The film was released in the United Kingdom under the title Farewell, My Lovely, which is the title of the 1940 Raymond Chandler novel it is based on, and also the...
in 1944, Cornered
Cornered (film)
Cornered is a film noir starring Dick Powell and directed by Edward Dmytryk. This is the second teaming of Powell and Dmytryk .Many scenes shot by cinematographer Harry J. Wild and Dmytryk stand out as classic film noir...
in 1945, Crossfire
Crossfire
A crossfire is a military term for the siting of weapons so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I....
in 1947 (an adaptation of the controversial novel The Brick Foxhole that earned him his only Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
nomination). He helped adapt the screenplay for the controversial movie The Wild One
The Wild One
The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is famed for Marlon Brando's iconic portrayal of the gang leader Johnny Strabler.-Basis:...
in 1953 starring Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
, and his adaptation of the Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute Norway was a popular British-Australian novelist and a successful aeronautical engineer. He used his full name in his engineering career, and 'Nevil Shute' as his pen name, in order to protect his engineering career from any potential negative publicity in connection with his novels.-...
novel On the Beach appeared in 1959. Paxton's work twice received the Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
's Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
for Best Motion Picture Screenplay, for Murder, My Sweet and Crossfire.
He won a Golden Globe and an award from the Writers Guild of America
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions:* The Writers Guild of America, East , representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi....
in 1971 for his screenplay to the Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau was an American actor best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and his frequent collaborations with Odd Couple star Jack Lemmon, as well as his role as Coach Buttermaker in the 1976 comedy The Bad News Bears...
film Kotch
Kotch
Kotch is a 1971 American comedy film which tells the story of an elderly man who runs away so as not to be put into a nursing home, and strikes up a friendship with a pregnant teenage girl. It stars Walter Matthau, Deborah Winters, Felicia Farr, Charles Aidman and Ellen Geer.The film was adapted...
.
Before coming to Hollywood in the 1940s, Paxton worked as a journalist and a publicist.
Paxton was an uncle of comic book writer Ed Brubaker
Ed Brubaker
Ed Brubaker is an Eisner Award-winning comic book writer and cartoonist. Brubaker first early comics work was primarily in the crime fiction genre with works such as Lowlife, The Fall, Sandman Presents: Dead Boy Detectives and Scene of the Crime...
as well as retired army intelligence officer, Col. David O. Paxton.