Chris Columbus Biography (2)

Chris Columbus is perhaps best known for directing one of the highest grossing motion picture comedies of all time, Home Alone and its smash hit follow-up Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Recent credits include his direction of last year's heartwarming drama, Stepmom with Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon; his box office hit Mrs. Doubtfire with Robin Williams and Sally Field; the popular comedy Nine Months which he wrote, produced and directed; the Arnold Schwarzenegger comedy Jingle All The Way, which he produced, and Monkeybone starring Brendan Fraser, directed by Henry Selick to be released Thanksgiving 2000 which he is producing.

Columbus was born in Spangler, Pennsylvania and grew up outside of Youngstown, Ohio. As a youngster, he aspired to draw cartoons for Marvel Comics and eventually discovered that comic books resemble the storyboards directors sketch for their movies. In high school he began making 8mm films and drawing his own storyboards (which he continues to do for his films today). After high school, he enrolled in the Directors Program at New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts.

Columbus first attained success as a screenwriter. While still in college he sold his first script, Jocks a semi-autobiographical comedy about a Catholic schoolboy who tries out for the football team.

After graduating from NYU, Columbus wrote a steel town drama called Reckless based on his experiences as a factory worker in Ohio. The film starred Daryl Hannah and Aidan Quinn, and was directed by James Foley.

Columbus gained prominence in Hollywood with a trio of original scripts for Steven Spielberg: the 1984 comedy thriller Gremlins, the 1985 adventure Goonies, and the fantasy Young Sherlock Holmes which was directed by Barry Levinson.

Columbus' screenwriting achievements led to his first two directorial efforts, Adventures In Babysitting and Heartbreak Hotel, which he also wrote.

He continued his affiliation with Spielberg on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade before a meeting with John Hughes led him to his directing assignment on Home Alone, followed by the poignant comedy Only The Lonely from his own screenplay.

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