Alan Ball (screenwriter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alan Ball
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Ball in 2008
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Alan Erwin Ball
May 13, 1957 Marietta, Georgia, U.S.
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| Education | University of Georgia Florida State University |
| Occupation | Screenwriter, director, producer |
| Known for | Screenwriter of American Beauty |
| Television | Six Feet Under True Blood Banshee |
| Partner(s) | Peter Macdissi |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay American Beauty (1999) |
Alan Erwin Ball (born May 13, 1957) is an American writer, director, and producer for movies and TV shows. He is famous for writing the movie American Beauty (1999), which won him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Alan Ball also created popular TV series like Six Feet Under (2001–2005) and True Blood (2008–2014). He also worked as a producer on the action drama series Banshee (2013–2016). He has written and directed other films, including ... (2007) and Uncle Frank (2020).
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Alan Ball's Early Life and Education
Alan Ball was born in Marietta, Georgia. His parents, Frank and Mary Ball, both worked as aircraft inspectors. When Alan was 13, his older sister, Mary Ann, passed away in a car accident. Alan was in the car at the time.
He went to Marietta High School in Marietta, Georgia. For college, he studied at the University of Georgia and Florida State University. In 1980, Alan graduated from Florida State with a degree in theater arts. After college, he started working as a playwright at the General Nonsense Theater Company in Sarasota, Florida.
Alan Ball's Career in Film and Television
Alan Ball started his career in television as a writer and story editor. He worked on sitcoms like Grace Under Fire and Cybill.
Writing and Directing Major Films
Before his big success with American Beauty (1999), Alan Ball wrote two other movie scripts. These scripts faced delays and were not made into films right away. However, American Beauty was a huge hit. Alan Ball won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his writing on this movie.
He has also written and directed two other films. These include ... (2007) and Uncle Frank (2020). For Uncle Frank, he also worked as a producer.
Creating Popular TV Series
Alan Ball is also known for creating, writing, and producing several successful TV drama series for HBO. These include Six Feet Under and True Blood. He was the main person in charge, known as the showrunner, for True Blood for its first five seasons.
In 2010, Alan Ball started working on a TV show based on a crime novel. It was going to be called All Signs of Death. However, after several months of planning, HBO decided not to make the show.
Alan Ball also served as one of the executive producers for the Cinemax series Banshee. In July 2016, HBO ordered a new family drama created by Ball, called Here and Now. This show starred famous actors Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter. It ran for one season with ten episodes and was canceled in April 2018.
Alan Ball's Personal Interests
Alan Ball has often talked about his Buddhist faith in interviews. He has explained how his beliefs have influenced his work in filmmaking. For example, he mentioned a famous scene in American Beauty involving a plastic bag. He said that there is a Buddhist idea about finding amazing things in everyday life. He believes that our culture often encourages us not to look for these simple wonders. Alan Ball also shared how his Buddhist beliefs shaped the themes in his TV shows Six Feet Under and True Blood.
Awards and Recognitions for Alan Ball
Alan Ball has received many awards and nominations for his work in television and film. He has won an Academy Award, an Emmy, and a Golden Globe. He has also received awards from important groups like the Writers, Directors, and Producers Guilds.
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Alan Ball's Creative Works
Alan Ball has contributed to many television shows, films, and theatre productions.
Television Projects
He has worked as a writer, director, and producer on several TV series. Some of his notable television works include:
- Grace Under Fire (1994–1995) – Writer
- Cybill (1995–1998) – Writer
- Oh, Grow Up (1999) – Writer
- Six Feet Under (2001–2005) – Creator, Writer, Director
- True Blood (2008–2012) – Creator, Writer, Director, Showrunner
- Here and Now (2018) – Creator, Writer, Director
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Film Projects
Alan Ball has written and directed several films:
- American Beauty (1999) – Writer, Co-producer
- ... (2007) – Screenwriter, Director
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017) – Executive producer (Television film)
- Uncle Frank (2020) – Screenwriter, Director
Theatre Productions
He has also written plays for the theatre:
- Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (1993) – Playwright
- All That I Will Ever Be (2007) – Author
See also
In Spanish: Alan Ball (guionista) para niños
