Michael Elias

{{short description|American writer, film director and producer}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael Elias | image = File:MICHAEL H ELIAS.jpg | alt =  | caption = Elias in 2018 | birth_name = Michael Herman Elias | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1940|09|20}} | birth_place = [[Woodbourne, New York]], U.S. | death_date =  | death_place = | other_names = | spouse = Caroline Bielefelt (m. 1963 div. 1973), Laraine Mestman (m. 1991 div. 2001), {{marriage|Bianca Roberts|2013}} | children = 4 | occupation = Writer, producer, director | years_active = 1965–present | known_for = ''[[The Jerk]]'', ''Lush Life'', ''[[Head of the Class]]'' | notable_works = }}

'''Michael Herman Elias''' (born September 20, 1940) is an American writer, film director and producer.

==Early and private life== Elias was born in upstate [[New York (state)|New York]]. He inherited his left-wing politics from his parents. His father was a doctor, the son of immigrants to the US from Hungary who spent some time in [[Spain]] in the 1930s during the [[Spanish Civil War]]. His mother was a librarian and trade union activist, whose parents came to the US from [[Russia]]. The family moved to [[Woodstock, New York|Woodstock]] in the early 1960s. Elias attended Woodbourne Elementary School, Fallsburg High Central Junior and Senior High School. From there he went to [[St. John's College (Annapolis/Santa Fe)|St. John's College]] in Annapolis, Maryland, graduating in 1962 with a degree in mathematics and philosophy. He was President of The Rogers Albritton Film Club and acted in The King William Players productions of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]], [[Brecht]], and [[Samuel Beckett|Beckett]]. Elias is the brother of [[Ruth Rogers]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp06171/ruth-elias-lady-rogers|title=Ruth Elias, Lady Rogers - Person - National Portrait Gallery|website=www.npg.org.uk|access-date=2019-01-09}}</ref> (Lady Rogers) who is married to British born architect [[Richard Rogers]]{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} (Lord Rogers) and Susan Elias,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://susaneliasart.com/|title=Susan Elias • Painter|website=susaneliasart.com|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> an artist living in Berlin who is married to artist [[Reinhard Voigt]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.moma.org/artists/28845|title=Reinhard Voigt {{!}} MoMA|website=The Museum of Modern Art|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://feld-haus.com/artists/reinhard-voigt/|title=Reinhard Voigt|website=FELD+HAUS|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref>

Elias has been married three times: Caroline Bielefelt 1963–1974, Laraine Mestman 1991–2001, and Bianca Roberts<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lejournaldesarts.fr/actualites/bianca-roberts-lamour-des-americains-pour-la-france-ne-se-dement-pas-124766|title=Bianca Roberts : « L'amour des Américains pour la France ne se dément pas » - 10 mars 2015 - Le Journal des Arts - n° 431|website=Le Journal Des Arts|language=fr|access-date=2019-08-17}}</ref> former executive director of the [[Mona Bismarck American Center]] in Paris. Elias has one son with Laraine Mestman, Frederick Mestman, and three step-sons: Ernie Klein, Siggy Bodolai, and James Bulliard.

==Acting career== After college Elias went to New York, studied with [[William Hickey (actor)|Bill Hickey]], [[Uta Hagen]] at [[HB Studio]] and [[Lee Strasberg acting studio|Lee Strasberg]] at [[Actors Studio|The Actors Studio]]. At the same time Elias joined [[The Living Theatre]] where he appeared on stage in Kenneth Brown's ''The Brig'' 1963 as well as the 1964 film by [[Jonas Mekas]]. Elias traveled to London with The Living Theatre for a production of ''The Brig'' at the Mermaid Theatre, then returned to New York where he appeared in plays at the [[Judson Poets Theatre]] by [[Al Carmines]], [[Rochelle Owens]], and [[Maria Irene Fornes]]. In 1963, Elias, along with other members of the cast were arrested when [[United States Marshals Service|Federal Marshals]] seized the theatre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livingtheatre.org/detailed-history|title=the-living-theatre {{!}} Detailed History|website=the-living-theatre|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref>

In the late 1960s, Elias joined Frank Shaw<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2006/scene/people-news/frank-shaw-1117952998/|title=Frank Shaw|date=2006-10-31|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> and formed the comedy team of Elias and Shaw.<ref>{{Citation|last=MicheleMidnight|title=Frank Shaw & Michael Elias, Playboy After Dark with Hugh Hefner|date=2016-10-24|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcUxmn9lpNA|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> They made their first appearance on ''[[The Tonight Show]]'' in 1967, then played New York nightclubs [[The Bitter End]], [[Upstairs at the Downstairs]], Bon Soir, [[Village Gate|The Village Gate]]. After another appearance on ''The Tonight Show'' they were seen by Ernest Chambers,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/ernest-chambers|title=Ernest Chambers|website=Television Academy|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> a television producer who hired them to come to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] as writers. They gave up the act and wrote for [[Leslie Uggams]], [[Glen Campbell]], and [[Bill Cosby]]. They also wrote the screenplay for the film ''[[The Frisco Kid]]'' which starred [[Gene Wilder]] and [[Harrison Ford]].

==Film and television== In 1971, Elias and [[Steve Martin]] were both staff writers on ''[[Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour|The Pat Paulsen Half A Comedy Show]]''. When Martin decided to devote himself to stand-up he invited Elias to write material for him. This began a long collaboration that also included Martin's comedy albums and two of his network TV specials, ''[[A Wild and Crazy Guy]]'' (1978) and ''[[Comedy Is Not Pretty!]]'' (1980), and the screenplay for ''[[The Jerk]]'' (1979).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-funniest-screenplays/the-jerk|title=The Jerk (1979)|website=www.wga.org|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref>

In 1978, Elias partnered with [[Rich Eustis]] and began a 20-year collaboration in which they created and produced the hit sitcom ''[[Head of the Class]]'' starring [[Howard Hesseman]] about gifted but socially inept high school students. It ran for five seasons on [[ABC World News Tonight|ABC.]] In the last year [[Howard Hesseman]] was replaced by the Scottish comedian [[Billy Connolly]]. ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' confirmed in 2019 that a reboot is planned for [[HBO Max]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=2021-01-19|title='Head Of The Class': Jorge Diaz, Christa Miller Among 5 Cast In HBO Max Reboot Pilot|url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/head-of-the-class-jorge-diaz-christa-miller-cast-hbo-max-reboot-pilot-1234675694/|access-date=2021-02-25|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref> Two of the 115 episodes of ''Head of The Class'' were filmed in the [[Soviet Union|USSR]] ("Mission to Moscow Pts. 1 & 2").<ref>{{Citation|title=Mission to Moscow: Part 1|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0788563/|access-date=2019-01-09}}</ref> It was the first American television show to be shot in [[Moscow]]. In addition, Elias and Eustis wrote screenplays for ''[[Young Doctors in Love]]'', ''[[Serial (1980 film)|Serial]]'', ''North Dallas'', ''[[Back to School]]'' and other television series including ''[[Eye to Eye (American TV series)|Eye to Eye]]'', ''[[Tall Hopes]]'', and numerous pilots for [[Warner Bros.|Warner Brothers]].

In 1992, Elias and Eustis amicably dissolved their partnership. Elias went on to write and direct the award-winning Showtime movie ''Lush Life''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-15-tv-57742-story.html|title=Life's Riffs : SHOWTIME'S 'LUSH LIFE' EXPLORES A RELATIONSHIP BASED ON MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP AND FATE|date=1994-05-15|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2019-05-28|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/lush-life-1200434858/|title=Lush Life|last=Elley|first=Derek|date=1993-12-08|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> with [[Forest Whitaker]] and [[Jeff Goldblum]]. He was nominated for best director at the [[CableACE Award]]s.

In 2007, [[Paul Mazursky]] directed Elias's semi-autobiographical play ''The Catskill Sonata''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lasplash.com/publish/Los_Angeles_Performances_116/The_Catskill_Sonata_printer.php|title=The Catskill Sonata - Theater Review {{!}} Splash Magazines {{!}} Los Angeles|website=www.lasplash.com|access-date=2019-04-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-mar-10-et-paul10-story.html|title=A taste for borscht|date=2007-03-10|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2019-04-05|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lastheplace.com/2007/07/08/the-theatre-highlight-of-the-summer-paul-mazurskys-the-catskill-sonata/|title=The Theatre Highlight of the Summer: Paul Mazursky's "The Catskill Sonata"|last=Candice Courtney McFadyen|date=2007-07-09|website=LA's The Place {{!}} Los Angeles, Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2007/legit/markets-festivals/the-catskill-sonata-1200509554/|title=The Catskill Sonata|last=Morgan|first=Terry|date=2007-03-20|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}}</ref> The ''[[LA Weekly]]'' named it one of the best ten plays of the year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/arts/an-la-playwrights-struggle-to-go-east-2152756|title=An L.A. Playwright's Struggle to Go East|last=Mikulan|first=Steven|date=2008-04-02|website=L.A. Weekly|access-date=2019-02-05}}</ref>

==Novels== Elias' has written the novel ''The Last Conquistador''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bookpassage.com/event/michael-elias-last-conquistador|title=Michael Elias - The Last Conquistador|website=Book Passage|date=27 November 2013 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}}</ref> published in 2013 by [[Open Road Media]].<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-novel-the-last-conquistador-by-veteran-screenwriter-michael-elias-available-today-from-open-road-integrated-media-212906051.html|title=New Novel The Last Conquistador by Veteran Screenwriter Michael Elias Available Today from Open Road Integrated Media|last=Elias|first=Michael|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2019-02-05}}</ref> In 2020, Elias published a novel ''You Can Go Home Now'' with [[HarperCollins]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rose|first=Joel|title=Scrupulously Woven: On Michael Elias's "You Can Go Home Now"|url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/scrupulously-woven-on-michael-eliass-you-can-go-home-now/|access-date=2021-02-24|website=Los Angeles Review of Books |date=11 September 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=La Marseillaise BDR Marseille : De flic interlope à Madone des femmes battues|url=https://articles.cafeyn.co/8f72b8/la-marseillaise-bdr-marseille/2021-02-05/de-flic-interlope-a-madone-des-femmes-battues|access-date=2021-02-24|website=articles.cafeyn.co|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=You Can Go Home Now|url=https://www.harpercollins.com/products/you-can-go-home-now-michael-elias|access-date=2021-02-24|website=HarperCollins|language=en}}</ref> and in 2026 his novel ''Bender's L.A.'' was published by Sticking Place Books.<ref>[https://stickingplacebooks.com/books/benders-la] Bender's L.A. Michael Elias</ref>

==Lawsuit== In July 2011, Michael Elias and Rich Eustis filed a lawsuit against [[Creative Artists Agency]] (CAA), the talent agency which had represented them from the 1970s until 1995. The suit claimed that in addition to the agency's package fee of US$3.2 million for ''Head of the Class'', the agency had an undisclosed "side deal" with Warner Bros. for 10% of profits which was paid before and cut into the creators' profits. According to the suit, CAA allegedly received US$9 million from this deal. CAA denied the allegations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/industry-us-headoftheclass-idUSTRE76B03820110712|title="Class" creators sue CAA for cutting into profits|date=2011-07-12|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-01-09|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/lawsuit-claims-caa-cheated-tv-209735|title=Lawsuit Claims CAA Cheated TV Creators Out of Millions in Profits (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=11 July 2011 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-09}}</ref>

==Television== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Credit !! Notes |- |1970 |''[[Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour]] '' |Writer, Story Editor | |- |1969–1971 |''[[The Bill Cosby Show]]'' |Writer | |- |1970–1971 |''[[The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour]] '' |Writer | |- |1972 |''[[All's Fair (1976 TV series)|All's Fair]]'' |Writer, Co-producer | |- |1973–1974 |''[[The New Dick Van Dyke Show]]'' |Writer, producer | |- |1975 |''Black Bart'' ''based on'' ''[[Blazing Saddles]]'' |Writer, producer |Developed for television, Co- written with Frank Shaw |- |1978 |''[[A Wild and Crazy Guy|Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy]]'' |Writer |Co-written with Jack Handey, Steve Martin and Alan Metter |- |1979 |''[[Co-Ed Fever]]'' |Created by | |- |1980 |''[[Comedy Is Not Pretty!|Comedy is Not Pretty]]'' |Writer |Co-written with Jack Handey, Steve Martin, Carmen Finestra, Robert Garland and Connie Turner |- |1986–1991 |''[[Head of the Class]]'' |Written by, Co-Creator, Executive Producer with Rich Eustis | |- |1992 |''[[Billy (1992 TV series)|Billy]]'' |Written by, Co-Creator, Executive Producer with Rich Eustis | |- |1993 |''[[Tall Hopes]]'' |Written by, Co-Creator, Executive Producer with Rich Eustis | |- |2010 |''The Best Friend'' |Executive producer | |}

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Credit !! Notes |- |1972 |''[[Trick Baby]] '' |Writer |Written as A. Neuberg, with T. Raewin (Uncredited) |- |1979 |''[[The Jerk]]'' |Screenplay |Screenplay co-written with Steve Martin and Carl Gottlieb |- |1979 |''[[The Frisco Kid]]'' |Writer |Co-written with Frank Shaw |- |1980 |''[[Serial (1980 film)|Serial]]'' |Writer |Co-written with Rich Eustis |- |1982 |''[[Young Doctors in Love]]'' |Writer |Co-written with Rich Eustis |- |1988 |''Envoyez Les Violons'' |Story Written with Ève Babitz |Screenplay co-written with Roger Andrieux |- |1993 |''Lush Life'' |Writer, director |Nominated CableACE Award |- |1998 |''No Laughing Matter'' |Writer, director | |}

==Theatre== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Play !! Credit !! Notes |- |2007 |''Catskill Sonata'' (2007) |Playwright |Directed by Paul Mazursky |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|nm0253498}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elias, Michael}} [[Category:1940 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:St. John's College (Annapolis/Santa Fe) alumni]]