Chris Columbus (filmmaker)
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| Chris Columbus | |
| Born | September 10, 1958 Spangler, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouse(s) | Monica Devereux (1983–present) (4 children) |
Christopher 'Chris' Columbus (born September 10, 1958 in Spangler, Pennsylvania) is an American filmmaker.
Contents |
[edit] Film career
[edit] Start in the industry
Columbus graduated from Tisch School of the Arts. He created and wrote the first episodes of the animated series Galaxy High (1986–87).
Columbus made his directorial debut with the teen comedy Adventures in Babysitting (1987). He had huge success with the popular Home Alone film (1990) and its sequel Home Alone 2: Lost In New York starring Macaulay Culkin.
[edit] Return to prominence
In 1995, Columbus started his own production company named 1492 Pictures. This refers to Columbus's more famous namesake, Christopher Columbus.
His later directorial work includes Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Stepmom (1998), Bicentennial Man (1999), the first two Harry Potter films and Rent (2005), an adaptation of the popular Broadway musical.
Commercially, he has been hugely successful, despite the occasional flop, but like his one-time mentor, Steven Spielberg, he has met with critical accusations of excessive sentimentality and catering to children, as well as being described as a "bean counter" by British film critic Mark Kermode in criticism to his "bland and straight-forward direction."
Chris Columbus had expressed interest in directing the seventh Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; but David Yates, the director of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has since retained the position to direct both parts of the film.
As of August 2006, Columbus optioned the film rights to Christopher Moore's best-selling novel A Dirty Job.[1]
[edit] Partial filmography
| Title | Writer | Producer | Director | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percy Jackson |
|
|
2010 | |
| I Love You, Beth Cooper |
|
|
2009 | |
| Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian |
|
2009 | ||
| Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer |
|
2007 | ||
| Night at the Museum |
|
2006 | ||
| Rent |
|
2005 | ||
| Fantastic Four |
|
2005 | ||
| Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets |
|
|
2002 | |
| Christmas with the Kranks |
|
|
2004 | |
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone |
|
|
2001 | |
| Bicentennial Man |
|
|
1999 | |
| Stepmom |
|
|
|
1998 |
| Nine Months |
|
1995 | ||
| Mrs. Doubtfire |
|
1993 | ||
| Home Alone 2: Lost in New York |
|
1992 | ||
| Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland |
|
1992 | ||
| Only the Lonely |
|
|
1991 | |
| Home Alone |
|
1990 | ||
| Heartbreak Hotel |
|
|
1988 | |
| Adventures in Babysitting |
|
1987 | ||
| Young Sherlock Holmes |
|
1985 | ||
| The Goonies |
|
1985 | ||
| Gremlins |
|
1984 | ||
| Reckless |
|
1984 |
[edit] Personal life
Columbus has been married to Monica Devereux since 1983. [2] They have four children together, Eleanor, Violet, Brendan and Isabella.
His daughter Eleanor Columbus appeared as the character Susan Bones in the two Potter films he directed, making her one of only two Americans cast as students, along with cousin Robert Ayres (Boy in Study Hall #2 in his second Potter film). She also had a small cameo along with her father in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Two of his other children, Violet and Brendan, appeared in unnamed cameo roles in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
His wife Monica made a small appearance in Home Alone as the red-headed flight attendant, and in Home Alone 2 as the Plaza telephone operator.
Columbus lives in San Francisco's Pacific Heights, where his children attend or previously attended Saint Ignatius College Preparatory. He donated money to the school for a new building, which was named after him.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Chris Columbus at the Internet Movie Database
- BBC Movies article about Chris Columbus
- Chris Columbus biography from The New York Times
- Elementary, My Dear Potter - Young Sherlock Holmes / Harry Potter article
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