Was greatly affected by witnessing the death of his sister in a car accident when he was 13
Founding member of both the General Nonsense Theater Company in Florida and the Alarm Dog Repertory Theater Company in New York City
Received his first writing job for television after a Hollywood executive saw a production of his play Five Women Wearing the Same Dress
Openly negative about his time writing for the shows Grace Under Fire and Cybill, admitting that his anger from working on the two sitcoms fed his inspiration while writing the Oscar-winning screenplay for American Beauty
Awards
2017Emmy-Outstanding Television Movie:nominated
2010Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series:nominated
2005Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series:nominated
2003Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series:nominated
2002Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series:nominated
2000BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Screenplay:nominated