Raised in Los Angeles, California

Taught himself to read by age three

Bedridden during early childhood (from ages three to 11) with an undiagnosed condition that included high fevers, nausea, respiratory problems and stomach pains

Completed first novel "Voleur", by age 17; when English teacher told him it probably wouldn't get publilshed, burned the manuscript

Practiced entertainment law for 17 years

Returned to the novel he wrote as a teen; reworked it, writing in the early morning before beginning his day at the law office

First novel published, "The Perfect Thief"

Quit his day job when Fox signed him to write two scripts at $125,000 each; neither was ever produced

Feature debut as a screenwriter, "Code Name: Emerald" from his third novel "The Emerald Illusion"; "Target", which he scripted, came out later in the year

Formed production company, Predawn Production

Wrote the scripts for "Gardens of Stone" and "Black Widow"

Breakthrough screenplay, "Rain Man", co-written with Barry Morrow; earned Oscar for Best Original Screenplay

First picture starring Julia Roberts, "Sleeping with the Enemy"

Feature debut as a producer, "The Joy Luck Club"; also co-wrote script with Amy Tan

Feature debut as an executive producer, "When A Man Loves a Woman"; co-scripted with Al Franken and appeared in a bit part as a man at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting

TV screenwriting debut, "The Enemy Within", an HBO remake of the 1964 feature "Seven Days in May"

First association with novelist-screenwriter Terry McMillan, "Waiting to Exhale"; executive produced and co-wrote script with McMillan

Received sole screenwriting credit on "Dangerous Minds", though star Michelle Pfeiffer disagreed with him on the film's tone and brought in Elaine May to essentially rewrite it; May's insistence on taking credit only for her original screenplays has led Bass to publicly credit her whenever the subject of this film comes up

TV producing debut, executive producing and scripting "The Conversation", an NBC pilot based on the 1974 feature (aired only on Mountain Stations)

Formed Ron Bass Productions

Served as co-executive producer and creator of the ABC series adaptation of "Dangerous Minds"

Served as creator and co-executive producer (with Stephen Cronish) of the CBS drama series "Moloney"

Signed three-year exclusive deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment

Scripted the comedy "My Best Friend's Wedding", starring Roberts

Reteamed with McMillan (again co-scripting) for "How Stella Got Her Groove Back"

Helped engineer a watershed deal with Sony that for the first time offered a percentage of gross receipts to screenwriters

Executive produced and scripted "Entrapment", a throwback to the romantic dramas like "Charade", starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sean Connery

Produced and wrote original screenplay adaptation of "Snow Falling on Cedars"; reportedly director Scott Hicks and original novelist David Guterson rewrote entire script with only Hicks receiving onscreen credit

Co-scripted (with primary assistant Jane Rusconi) ABC-TV movie "Swing Vote" (produced by "Dangerous Minds" producer Jerry Bruckheimer); also co-scripted Ken Kwapis' "Border Line" (NBC) and Joan Micklin Silver's "Invisible Child"

Scripted and produced "Passion of Mind", starring Demi Moore