Gregory Allen Howard facts for kids

Gregory Allen Howard (born January 28, 1952 – died January 27, 2023) was an American writer and producer. He was famous for writing movie scripts, especially for the popular Disney film Remember the Titans (2000). This movie tells the true story of a high school football team that helped bring people together in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971.

Who Was Gregory Allen Howard?

Gregory Allen Howard was a talented screenwriter and producer. He wrote many stories for movies and TV shows. His most famous work was the script for Remember the Titans. This film showed how a football team helped unite a town during a time of big changes.

Growing Up and Early Life

Gregory Allen Howard was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on January 28, 1952. His family moved a lot because his stepfather was in the Navy. Between ages five and 15, his family moved ten times! They finally settled in Vallejo, California.

When he was in high school, Gregory played football as an offensive lineman. After high school, he went to Princeton University. He studied American history. For a short time, he worked on Wall Street before moving to Los Angeles. There, he decided to become a writer.

Starting a Career in Writing

In Los Angeles, Gregory Allen Howard began working as a freelance writer. He wrote for several TV shows. He was a story editor for a show called Where I Live. He also worked on the FOX series True Colors.

Gregory also wrote a play for the stage called Tinseltown Trilogy. This play won him some awards. It was made of three short plays about men in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve.

Writing Famous Movies

Gregory Allen Howard became well-known for writing movie scripts. He had a special talent for telling inspiring true stories.

The Story Behind Remember the Titans

Gregory found the amazing story of the 1971 TC Williams Titans football team. This team was very important in helping the town of Alexandria, Virginia, improve race relations. He did a lot of research for the script. He talked to the real coaches, Herman Boone and Bill Yoast.

At first, it was hard to get the movie made. But then, famous producer Jerry Bruckheimer agreed to produce it. The movie starred Denzel Washington and Will Patton. Remember the Titans became a huge success! It earned over $100 million in the United States.

Other Notable Film Projects

Before Remember the Titans, Gregory was chosen to write a movie about the famous boxer Muhammad Ali. This film, called Ali, was released after Remember the Titans.

Gregory also worked on other sports movies. He helped write Glory Road (2006). This movie was about a college basketball team that made history in 1966. They were the first all-black starting lineup to win a national championship.

He also wrote a script about the 761st Tank Battalion. This was the first black armored unit to fight in World War II. In 2019, he co-wrote and co-produced the movie Harriet. This film told the story of Harriet Tubman, a brave hero who helped people escape slavery.

In 2019, a script he wrote about the Black Panther Party called Power to the People was bought by Paramount Pictures.

Awards and Recognition

Gregory Allen Howard's work earned him awards. He was recognized for his powerful storytelling.

When Did Gregory Allen Howard Pass Away?

Gregory Allen Howard passed away from heart failure in Miami on January 27, 2023. He was almost 71 years old.