Steven Baigelman

{{Short description|Canadian screenwriter, producer and film director}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Steven Baigelman

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Steven J. Baigelman

| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| alma_mater = City College of New York

| occupation = {{Flat list|

Screenwriter
producer
director

}}

| years_active = 1996–present

| spouse = {{Plainlist|

Gayle Fraser (divorced)
{{marriage|Heather Fitzgerald|2001|2006}}

}}

| children = 1

}}

Steven J. Baigelman is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and film director. He has written the screenplays for the crime dramedy Feeling Minnesota (1996), the television crime thriller Brother's Keeper (2002), the biographical drama Get On Up (2014), and the biographical drama Miles Ahead (2015). Baigelman also created the ABC anthology television series Wicked City (2015), on which he also serves as an executive producer.

Early life

Baigelman was born in Toronto, Ontario.{{cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KJD5-NC8|title=Personal Details for Steven J Baigelman, "United States Public Records, 1970-2009"|website=FamilySearch}} He attended York University, before dropping out and moving to New York City. Baigelman then studied acting with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He later studied painting at City College of New York, exhibiting his work in galleries in New York and Europe. While painting, he worked days as a film production assistant and began writing screenplays.{{cite web|url=https://www.mcall.com/1996/09/13/feeling-lucky-minnesotas-first-time-director-in-a-state-of-grace/|title=Feeling Lucky 'Minnesota's' First-time Director In A State Of Grace|website=The Morning Call|first=Paul|last=Willistein|date=September 13, 1996}}

Career

Baigelman started his career with the crime comedy film Feeling Minnesota, starring Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz and Vincent D'Onofrio. He wrote the screenplay and directed the film, which was released on September 13, 1996.{{cite web|url=http://www.movieline.com/1996/03/01/feeling-fearless/|title=Feeling Fearless|website=Movieline|first=Michael|last=Atkinson|date=March 1, 1996}} He next co-wrote the television film Brother's Keeper with Glenn Gers. The film was directed by John Badham and released on the USA Network on January 29, 2002.

He wrote the initial screenplay for the film Get On Up for Imagine Entertainment.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2000/film/news/imagine-buoys-barbieri-to-pix-veep-1117787973|title=Imagine buoys Barbieri to pix veep|website=Variety|first=Michael|last=Fleming|date=October 19, 2000}} Jez and John-Henry Butterworth contributed to rewrites. The project was stalled for years, until director Tate Taylor revived the script in 2012. The film was released on August 1, 2014 in the United States, with Baigelman getting co-writing credits.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/universal-moves-up-release-date-for-james-brown-biopic-get-on-up|title=Universal Moves Up Release Date For James Brown Biopic 'Get on Up'|website=Indiewire|date=November 13, 2013}}

Baigelman, along with Don Cheadle, co-wrote the screenplay for the biographical film Miles Ahead, depicting the life of musician Miles Davis.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/u-k-distrib-icon-relaunches-with-seven-pic-slate-1201083365/|title=U.K. Distrib Icon Relaunches with Seven Pic Slate|website=Variety|date=February 2, 2014}} He also served as executive producer for the project. He next developed the upcoming ABC crime drama anthology television series Wicked City; Baigelman wrote the script for the pilot episode, which was then greenlit by ABC.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/09/la-crime-abc-drama-835260/|title=ABC Developing True Crime Procedural Set Throughout Los Angeles History|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=September 16, 2014|access-date=February 28, 2015}} The project was ordered to series in May 2015, and will debut on October 27, 2015.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/05/the-catch-jenna-bans-family-kings-prophets-boom-la-crime-wicked-city-quantico-series-abc-1201422660/|title=ABC Picks Up Dramas 'The Catch', Jenna Bans, 'Kings & Prophets', 'Boom', 'Wicked City' & 'Quantico' To Series|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=May 7, 2015}} He will also serve as executive producer alongside David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Laurie Zaks.

Personal life

Baigelman was previously married to film producer Gayle Fraser-Baigelman, with whom he has one daughter.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1994/film/news/fraser-baigelman-new-prez-at-yorktown-prods-118782/|title=Fraser-Baigelman new prez at Yorktown Prods.|website=Variety|first=John Evan|last=Frook|date=March 1, 1994}} He married his second wife, Heather Baigelman (née Fitzgerald), on November 10, 2001 in Clark, Nevada. They divorced in 2006.{{cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VV2R-QY8|title=Personal Details for Steven J Baigelman, "Nevada, Marriage Index, 1956-2005"|website=FamilySearch}}