Phil Alden Robinson facts for kids

Phil Alden Robinson (born March 1, 1950) is an American film director and screenwriter. This means he helps make movies by telling actors what to do (directing) and by writing the stories (screenwriting). He is known for popular films like Field of Dreams, Sneakers, and The Sum of All Fears.

Early Life and Education

Phil Alden Robinson was born in Long Beach, New York. His father, S. Jesse Robinson, was a drama critic, which means he wrote reviews about plays and movies.

Phil went to Union College in Schenectady, New York. He earned a degree in political science, which is the study of how governments work. Later, in 1996, Union College gave him an honorary doctorate, which is a special award for his achievements.

Phil Robinson's Career in Film and TV

Phil Alden Robinson has had a very successful career in movies and television. He has directed and written many well-known projects.

Directing and Writing Hit Movies

One of his most famous films is the baseball movie Field of Dreams (1989). For this movie, Phil was nominated for several big awards, including:

• The Directors Guild of America Award for best directing.
• The Writers Guild of America Award for best writing.
• An Oscar for Best Screenplay Adaptation. This means he did a great job turning a book into a movie script.

The film itself was also nominated for Best Picture, which is the top Oscar award for a movie.

His next film, Sneakers (1992), was a spy thriller. It was nominated for an Edgar Award, which is given to excellent mystery stories.

Award-Winning Television Work

Phil also worked on television projects. His TV drama Freedom Song (2000) won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Longform Screenplay. It also received nominations for:

• Two Emmy Awards, which are like the Oscars for television.
• Three NAACP Image Awards, including Best TV Movie.
• A Screen Actors Guild Award for acting.

He also directed an episode of the famous TV miniseries Band of Brothers (2001). For this, he and the other directors won an Emmy Award for Best Directing of a Miniseries.

Contributions to the Entertainment Industry

In 1990, Phil was named "Screenwriter of the Year" by the National Association of Theatre Owners. In 1994, he received the Writers Guild of America's Valentine Davies Award. This award is given for important contributions to the entertainment industry and the wider community.

Documentaries and Global Issues

In 1992, Phil traveled with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. This group helps people who have been forced to leave their homes because of war or disaster. He went on missions to Somalia and Bosnia to observe their work.

After these trips, he wrote and directed five documentaries for ABC News' Nightline program. His last documentary, Sarajevo Spring, was nominated for a national News & Documentary Emmy Award in 1997.

Current Roles

Phil Alden Robinson is currently a Vice President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the organization that gives out the Oscars. He also serves on the Board of Overseers of the UCLA Hammer Museum.

Phil Robinson's Filmography

This table shows the movies Phil Alden Robinson has directed:

Screenplays Phil Robinson Wrote

Here are some other movies where Phil Alden Robinson worked as a screenwriter:

• Rhinestone (1984) (with Sylvester Stallone)
• All of Me (1984)
• Relentless (1989) (He used the name Jack T.D. Robinson for this one.)
• Ghost Dad (1990) (He used the name Chris Reese, and worked with other writers.)
• The Chamber (1996) (He used the name Chris Reese, and worked with William Goldman.)

Phil also helped improve the script for the 1985 film Fletch, but he was not officially credited for it. This is called being a "script doctor."

Phil Robinson's Television Work

As a Creator

• The Good Fight (2017–2022): Phil helped create this TV series.

As a Contributor

Phil has also worked on these TV shows and documentaries:

• Trapper John M.D. (1981): He wrote two episodes.
• Nightline: Somalia Diary (1992)
• Nightline: Sarajevo Diary (1992)
• Nightline: One Woman’s Sarajevo (1993)
• Nightline: Sarajevo Spring (1996)
• Band of Brothers (2001): He directed one episode.
• The Good Wife (2016): He directed one episode.

Awards and Nominations for Phil Robinson

This table shows some of the awards and nominations Phil Alden Robinson has received:

See also

In Spanish: Phil Alden Robinson para niños