Moved frequently while growing up due to father's career in the US Navy

Worked as a playwright in Chicago for 10 years after college; wrote 14 plays, half of which were historical dramas based on the likes of Illinois villains Leopold and Loeb ("Never the Sinner" 1985), and the Russian Revolution

"Never the Sinner", his play about Leopold and Loeb, revived at Chicago's Victory Gardens Theater

Sold first spec script, a football-themed drama called "Any Given Sunday" to Turner Pictures, with Oliver Stone attached as producer

Penned "Pure Evel", a proposed biopic of daredevil Evel Knievel

Wrote the screenplay for the Fox TV movie "Tornado!"

"Never the Sinner" staged Off-Broadway

Executive produced and wrote the horror flick "Bats", starring Lou Diamond Phillips

Credited as one of the writers of the screenplay for the football drama "Any Given Sunday", directed by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino and Cameron Diaz

Scripted "RKO 281", the Emmy-nominated HBO drama about the making of Orson Welles' 1941 classic "Citizen Kane"; executive produced by Ridley and Tony Scott

Co-wrote screenplay for Ridley Scott's blockbuster "Gladiator", starring Russell Crowe; shared Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay

Hired to write the script for DreamWorks' adaptation of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine"

Penned the screenplay for "Star Trek: Nemesis," the tenth feature film in the franchise

Scripted the Howard Hughes biopic "The Aviator" starring Leonardo DiCaprio; received Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Screenplay