Ross LaManna
Chair, Film Department
Art Center College of Design
Screenwriter/Novelist Ross LaManna was recently appointed Chair of Art Center College of Design’s Film Department as part of the College’s restructuring and expanding of its film program, with a curriculum designed to push the boundaries of traditional filmmaking. Mr. LaManna is best known for his spec script RUSH HOUR, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. RUSH HOUR 3 is currently in production.
Currently, he is writing the hip-hop/martial arts adventure feature WU-TANG & SHAOLIN for HBO Films, and is partnered with RKO Pictures to Executive Produce and write a remake of their classic thriller, ANGEL FACE. Additionally, he is developing a television series based on the experiences of celebrated author and ex-convict Edward Bunker, and is writing a graphic novel, MARKUS FANG, for publisher Arcana Studios.
LaManna attended the USC School of Film and Television in Los Angeles, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting. He also holds a Master of Arts (with Honors) in Dramatic Writing from Arizona State University.
He began in the motion picture business in the International Business Affairs Department at Norman Lear’s Embassy Pictures. Soon he landed a term writing deal at United Artists, which began his full-time writing career. One of his scripts for UA became CHROME SOLDIERS (1993) a USA Network movie. He next worked uncredited on several projects for Carolco Pictures and TriStar, including the hit films UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, (1992) and CLIFFHANGER, (1993) starring Sylvester Stallone.
LaManna’s original screenplay, ARCTIC BLUE, (1995) became an HBO World Premiere Movie. TITANIC, an Emmy-winning, four-hour Hallmark miniseries starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and George C. Scott, aired on CBS in 1996 and again in 1998. LaManna’s teleplay was executive produced by Francis Ford Coppola. He also contributed to STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, (1996).
His original script RUSH HOUR became one of the top ten films of 1998. The enormously popular action comedy, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, broke several box office records. RUSH HOUR 2, (2001) based upon the characters he created, also shattered box office records, earning more than $225 million domestically.
His first novel, ACID TEST (Ballantine, 2001), is a geopolitical thriller chosen as an Amazon.com “Penzler Pick”. ACID TEST was also The Mysterious Bookshop’s selection for Best First Fiction, August, 2001. The paperback was published in 2003.
More recently, LaManna worked on the upcoming feature adaptation of HOGAN’S HEROES to star Russell Crowe, wrote GO-FAST 7, a military action screenplay for Paramount Pictures, and DRAGON WARRIOR, a live-action feature to star a digitally-recreated Bruce Lee.
His various memberships include those in the Writer’s Guild of America, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Mystery Writers of America and the Air Force Association. He served for three years as a Judge in UCLA’s prestigious Diane Thomas Screenwriting Awards.
LaManna resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Lynn, an attorney, and their children, Kathleen and James.
For further information, go to www.rosslamanna.com.
Field(s) of expertise: Screenwriter/Novelist Ross LaManna was recently appointed Chair of Art Center College of Design's Film Department as part of the College's restructuring and expanding of its film program, with a curriculum designed to push the boundaries of traditional filmmaking. Mr. LaManna is best known for his spec script RUSH HOUR, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. RUSH HOUR 3 is currently in production.