Michael E. Uslan (1951–) Biography

Born 1951, in NJ; Education: Indiana University, A.B. (history), 1973, M.S. (urban education), 1975, J.D., 1976.

Addresses

Agent—Branded Entertainment, 333 Crestmont Rd., Cedar Grove, NJ 07009.

Career

Writer, producer of motion pictures, television, and animation, and motivational speaker. United Artists, New York, NY, motion-picture attorney, 1976–80. Television work includes: (executive producer) Three Sovereigns for Sarah, 1985; (executive producer and creator) Dinosaucers (animated series), 1987–93; (executive producer, with others) 1998 Summer Olympics, 1988; (executive producer) Swamp Thing (animated series), 1991–93; (executive producer) Swamp Thing (series), 1991–99; (executive producer) Fish Police (animated series), 1992; (executive producer) Robin Cook's "Harmful Intent," 1993; (producer) Teaching Tolerance (special), 1994; and (executive producer) Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, 1994–97. Film work includes: (producer) Swamp Thing, 1982; (producer) The Return of Swamp Thing, 1989; (executive producer with Benjamin Melniker) Batman, 1989; (executive producer) Batman Returns, 1992; (producer) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (animated film), 1993; (director and producer) The Great Train Robbery, The Kiss, The Sneeze, Streetcar Chivalry, Smashing a Jersey Mosquito, and The Barbershop (remake of Thomas Edison's films), all 1993; (executive producer) Little Orphan Annie's Very Animated Christmas, 1995; (executive producer, Batman Forever, 1995; (executive producer) Batman and Robin, 1997; (executive producer) Batman and Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero, 1998; (executive producer) Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (animated), 2000; (executive producer) Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (animated), 2003; (executive producer) The Marvel Superheroes Guide to New York City, 2004; (executive producer) Catwoman, 2004; (associate producer) National Treasure, 2004; (producer) Constantine, 2005; (executive producer) Batman Begins, 2005; Shazam; Way of the Rat; The Spirit; and The Lone Ranger: Way of the Mask. Producer of video The First National Trivia Quiz; director of play Casablanca Revisited. Appeared in films, including documentary series Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Legacy of the Dark Knight, 2005; and In a Single Bound, 2006. Indiana University, Bloomington, instructor in first accredited course on comic books, 1971. Vice chairman, New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission. Former member of National Endowment for the Humanities Youth Grants Panel; member, board of trustees, Thomas A. Edison Media Arts Consortium/Black Maria Film Festival, 1992–2002, and Center for Excellence in Education, 1993–99; member of board of directors, Wild Brain Animation Studio, 1999–2005; member of advisory board, Discovery Channel Global Education Fund, 2003–05.

Honors Awards

Emmy Award for Best Animated Series (with others), for Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?; Hoagy Carmichael Creative Achievement Award, 1989; People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture (with others), 1989, for Batman; Annie Award for outstanding achievement in animated movie (with others), 2000, for Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker; Distinguished Hoosier Award, 2001; President's Circle Award, 2002; Independent Spirit Award, Garden State Film Festival, 2005; Academy of Law fellow, 2006.

Writings

The Comic Book in America (text book), Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), 1971.

(With Bruce Solomon) The Pow! Zap! Wham! Comic-Book Trivia Quiz: 1,001 Questions and Answers, Morrow (New York, NY), 1977.

(With Bruce Solomon) The Rock 'n' Roll Trivia Quiz Book, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1978.

(With Bruce Solomon) The TV Trivia Quiz Book, Harmony Books (New York, NY), 1979.

(Editor) America at War: The Best of DC War Comics, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1979.

(Editor) Mysteries in Space: The Best of DC Science-Fiction Comics, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1980.

(Editor with Jeffrey Mendel) John Goldwater, The Best of Archie, Putnam (New York, NY), 1980.

(With Bruce Solomon) Dick Clark's The First 25 Years of Rock &Roll, Dell (New York, NY), 1981.

(With Bruce Solomon) The TV Commercial Trivia Quiz Book, Arbor House (New York, NY), 1985.

(With Bruce Solomon) The Gossip Trivia Quiz Book, Arbor House (New York, NY), 1985.

(With Bruce Solomon) The All-New TV Trivia Quiz Book, Harmony Books (New York, NY), 1985.

(And director) Casablanca Revisited, produced 1997.

Batman: Detective No. 27 (graphic novel; based on the character by Bob Kane), art by Peter Snejbjerg, DC Comics (New York, NY), 2003.

Chatterbox, the Bird Who Wore Glasses (for children), illustrated by John Steven Gurney, EE Publishing 2006.

Also author of The Comic Book Revolution, Indiana University Press. Author of introduction to comic-book compilations, including Superman in Action Comic Archives, Volume 3, Batman in the 1950s; Shazam Archives, Volume 3; Thunder Agents Archives, Volumes 1 and 2; The Mighty Crusaders Archives, Superman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told; Comic Cavalcade Archives, Volume 1, Catwoman: 9 Lives of a Feline Fatale; Brave and Bold Team-up Archives, Volume 1; The Spirit Archives, Volume 16; Batman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told; Enemy Ace Archives, Volume 2; Dynamic Duo Archives, Volume 2; Adam Strange Archives, Volume 2; and Just Imagine; Stan Lee Creating the DC Universe, Volumes 1-3. Writer for television. Scripter for Batman and The Shadow comic-book series, c. 1970s; writer for "Terry and the Pirates" comic strip, 1994–96; initiator and contributor to "Just Imagine" comic-book series (re-adaptation of comics by Stan Lee), DC Comics, 2001–02.