Mario Puzo (b. October 15, 1920 – d.July 2, 1999) was a renowned American writer who co-wrote Superman: The Movie and Superman II.
Professional History
Mario Puzo was a widely celebrated American writer best known for his crime novels and screenplays. Along with Francis Ford Coppola, he co-wrote the screenplays for The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, two films often considered among the greatest ever made, which he adapted from his own novel, and won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for both in 1972 and 1974 respectively. He later went on to pen The Godfather Part III, a third film not adapted from his novel, which did not receive as much praise.
In 1978, Puzo wrote the original screenplay for a Superman film, which would eventually become the films Superman: The Movie and Superman II, directed by Richard Donner and co-written by Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, and Robert Benton. Both films were critical and commercial successes, and are considered some of the greatest superhero movies of all time, as well as the inspiration for the superhero genre in film as we know it today.
Work History