Todd W. Langen

American screenwriter

Todd W. Langen is an American screenwriter and former engineer, best known for his work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Early life

Langen was born in Detroit and earned a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan.[1]

He was 30 years old and working on the Space Shuttle for Hughes Aircraft Company when he decided that what he really wanted to do with his life was to be a screenwriter.[1] His first sale was an episode of Pursuit of Happiness, a television comedy series that lasted less than two months.[1]

Career

He soon became a regular writer of The Wonder Years. His biggest success would come when Langen was hired to work on the film adaptation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The original treatment of 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was written by Bobby Herbeck; Langen was called in to do a "Page One rewrite," that is, a complete revision based on a screenplay that a studio had deemed interesting bur unworkable as submitted. Langen and Herbeck did not work together and did not meet until the film opened. He is listed first in the credits.[1] Langen would return to write the sequel in 1991.

Awards

  • Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Comedy for an episode of The Wonder Years.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "'Turtles' screenwriter nearly lost in space". Calgary Herald. Knight Ridder. 8 April 1990.
  2. ^ Champlin, Charles (20 March 1990). "Writers Guild Awards Banquet Dishes Up Food for Thought". Los Angeles Times.

External links

  • Todd W. Langen at IMDb
  • v
  • t
  • e
Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Comedy (1980–1989)
  • Dennis Koenig & Gene Reynolds for "Heal Thyself" (1980)
  • Nat Mauldin for "Stormy Weather" (1981)
  • Stephen Neigher & Tony Sheehan for "Hunger Strike" (1982)
  • David Isaacs & Ken Levine for "The Boys in the Bar" / Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Give Me a Ring Sometime" (1983)
  • Michael J. Weithorn for "Sumner's Return" (1984)
  • Glenn Gordon Caron for "Pilot" (Moonlighting) / Elias Davis & David Pollock for "Madison Avenue Madness" (1985)
  • Bob Randall for "Allie's Affair" (1986)
  • Jay Tarses for "Here's Why Cosmetics Should Come in Unbreakable Bottles" / Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger for "A, My Name is Alex" / Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan for "'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas" (1987)
  • Carol Black & Neal Marlens for "My Father's Office" (1988)
  • Todd W. Langen for "Coda" (1989)
  • Complete list
  • 1960s
  • 1970s
  • 1980s
  • 1990s
  • 2000s
  • 2010s
  • 2020s