Jonathan Kaplan facts for kids

Jonathan Kaplan was born on November 25, 1947. He is an American film producer and director. He is known for directing movies that have won big awards.

For example, his film The Accused (1988) helped actress Jodie Foster win an Oscar for Best Actress. This movie was also nominated for the Golden Bear award at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival. Another film, Love Field (1992), earned actress Michelle Pfeiffer an Oscar nomination. It was also nominated for the Golden Bear at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival.

Jonathan Kaplan also worked a lot in television. He received five Emmy nominations for his work on the popular TV series ER.

Jonathan Kaplan's Early Life and Career

Jonathan Kaplan was born in Paris, France. His family was already involved in the entertainment world. His father, Sol Kaplan, was a film composer. His mother, Frances Heflin, was an actress. He is also the nephew of famous actor Van Heflin. His sisters, Nora Heflin and Mady Kaplan, are also actresses.

Kaplan lived in Hollywood until 1954. His father had to move to New York because he was blacklisted. This meant he was not allowed to work in Hollywood at that time.

Starting Out as an Actor

Jonathan Kaplan began his career as a child actor. He performed in a Broadway play called The Dark at the Top of the Stairs. This play was directed by the famous Elia Kazan. In 1964, he was also in an off-Broadway play called Rumplestillskin. This play was written by Elaine May.

Education and First Films

Kaplan went to the University of Chicago and earned a bachelor's degree. Then, he studied film at New York University. There, he was taught by the well-known director Martin Scorsese. During this time, he made a short film called Stanley (1965), which won an award.

His big break in directing came when Roger Corman offered him a chance to direct Night Call Nurses (1972). Martin Scorsese had recommended Kaplan for the job. Kaplan directed the movie, and it was a success. Corman then offered him another film, The Student Teachers (1973). Kaplan also helped write and edit this movie.

After these early successes, Kaplan directed more films. These included The Slams (1973) and Truck Turner (1974). Truck Turner was a huge hit. This led to Kaplan directing White Line Fever (1975) for Columbia Pictures. This was a major Hollywood studio.

Challenges and TV Work

White Line Fever was a big success. However, Kaplan then made a film he called "the biggest failure of my career." This was Mr. Billion (1977). It was an attempt to make Terence Hill a global star. After that, he directed Over the Edge (1979). This movie was praised by critics but did not attract many viewers.

Kaplan found that he was mostly offered similar types of movies. So, he decided to direct TV movies instead. He said he wanted to keep directing films, even if they were for television.

During the early 1980s, Kaplan directed several TV movies. He also directed many music videos. Some of these were for John Cougar Mellencamp and Rod Stewart's song "Infatuation" in 1984. He also directed the racing movie Heart Like a Wheel (1983) and the science fiction thriller Project X (1987).

Return to Feature Films

Jonathan Kaplan's career in feature films became strong again in 1988. This was when The Accused (1988) was released. As mentioned, this film helped Jodie Foster win her first Oscar. After this, he directed other important feature films. These included Immediate Family (1989) and Unlawful Entry (1992).

His direction of Michelle Pfeiffer in Love Field (1992) led to her getting an Oscar nomination in 1993. His last movie for theaters was Brokedown Palace (1999). Since the 1990s, Kaplan has mostly worked as a director for television shows.

Jonathan Kaplan's Film and TV Work

Here is a list of some of the films and TV shows Jonathan Kaplan has directed.

Films Directed

• Night Call Nurses (1972)
• The Student Teachers (1973)
• The Slams (1973)
• Truck Turner (1974)
• White Line Fever (1975)
• Mr. Billion (1977)
• Over the Edge (1979)
• Heart Like a Wheel (1983)
• Project X (1987)
• The Accused (1988)
• Immediate Family (1989)
• Unlawful Entry (1992)
• Love Field (1992)
• Bad Girls (1994)
• Brokedown Palace (1999)

TV Movies Directed

• 11th Victim (1979)
• The Gentleman Bandit (1981)
• Girls of the White Orchid (1983)
• Rebel Highway: Reform School Girl (1994)

TV Series Episodes Directed

• Fallen Angels (1993)
• Picture Windows (1995)
• In Cold Blood (1996)
• ER (1997)
• Crossing Jordan (2005)
• Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (2005–present)
• Without a Trace (2006–2009)
• Brothers and Sisters (2010)

See also

In Spanish: Jonathan Kaplan para niños