PAUL CHITLIK

Paul Chitlik didn't write and direct his first play until he was eleven, considered somewhat late by many studio and network executives barely out of their teens. But then, he was born in Cleveland.

When he moved to California, he built his own skateboard out of a piece of 2x4, an old skate, and a scrap of carpet. Years later, he became ASB president so he could kiss the homecoming queen. It worked… once.

As a college student, he went to Franco's Spain to study at the University of Madrid and trace his Hispanic roots. There, he also learned how to duck water cannons and charging horses. He also published his first work in any language—a Spanish poem.

After receiving his degree in comparative literature and tear gas at UC-Berkeley, Chitlik traveled and wrote all over Europe, finally landing in London where he worked as a translator and journalist for several years. When he returned to Los Angeles he began teaching English as a second language at Long Beach Community College. Soon, he was an administrator devising programs for non-literate students, a skill that has enabled him to read unsolicited manuscripts without flinching.

During this time he was also on the board of directors of La Escuela Laboral, a bilingual school for adults in East Los Angeles, and the Human Powered Transit Association, a bicycle advocacy group. He was responsible for the creation of the HPTA's bicycle safety program in the L.A. Unified School District. He also served as Executive Director of AVAZ International Dance Theatre. He was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to attend the first White House Conference on Library and Information Services.

Chitlik served on the School Facilities Committee of Burbank, overseeing the expenditure of $200 million in the rebuilding of the city's schools for ten years, nine as chair. He also serves as President and kitchen supervisor of Project Chicken Soup, an organization that provides kosher meals to people with HIV/AIDS.

In 1984, he did a career about-face and began to write for television, first as the executive story editor for a syndicated series, "Guilty or Innocent," and later as a staff writer with partner, Jeremy Bertrand Finch, for the Showtime series, "Brothers." Chitlik and Finch wrote for CBS' "The Twilight Zone," ABC's "Who's the Boss?," and NBC's "Amen."

Chitlik joined the Writers Guild of America, west, in 1986, and has been an active member since, serving on the Academic Liaison Committee and the Publications Board. In 1999 he assisted the Guild's public affairs office in their lobbying efforts in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Burbank. He currently is a member of the Writers with Disabilities Committee.

When "The Twilight Zone" was revived for syndication, Chitlik and Finch were brought on board by Executive Producer Mark Shelmerdine to set the direction and tone of the program as story editors. The show has gone on to prove itself a ratings success and takes its place alongside the original as innovative and stimulating programming. Chitlik and Finch won a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for one of the "Twilight Zone" episodes they wrote during this time.

Chitlik and Finch developed "Poltergeist" for television for a partnership of MGM, Paragon Pictures, and ARD Television of Germany; sold a romantic comedy to Bay Productions of Vancouver; created a sit-com for Republic Pictures; written a pilot for "Lifetime"; and developed "Alcohol Lake," a story of hope and cultural re-awakening of Native Americans, with KCET for American Playhouse.

Chitlik went on to be coordinating producer for “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol,” one of the most successful first run daily strip programs on television. In addition to overseeing the story development, scripting, directing, and editing of over 260 reenactment segments, he field produced and directed more than a dozen himself. From Real Stories, Chitlik went to “U.S. Customs Classified,” a syndicated series starring Stephen J. Cannell. There he supervised 22 hours of programming.

For Rysher Entertainment, Chitlik wrote “Youngsters,” designed as a starring vehicle for the Olsen twins. He has also written features for a number of independent companies including Promark Entertainment, Nu Image, and Mainline Releasing, one of which won a Genesis Award for outstanding children's movie.

Chitlik wrote and produced “Alien Abduction—The McPherson Tape”, a movie for television for UPN and dick clark productions, for whom he has written episodes of “Beyond Belief.” He also contributed episodes to “Los Beltrán,” a Spanish language sitcom for Telemundo, for which he has been nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. In 2004, he won a Genesis Award for a movie for Showtime Family.

In 1996, Chitlik founded The Dime Novel Co. and published a complete mystery novel as a magazine supported solely by advertising. The publication drew the attention of The Hollywood Reporter, Nation's Business, The Los Angeles Times, and local media. In the summer of 1997, he published the second edition, featuring “Deviant Numbers,” a science-fiction novela about cloning. His most recent book, Rewrite, is published by MWP.

Chitlik is a visiting assistant professor in UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television, as well as a lecturer at Loyola Marymount University. He has also given master classes in screenwriting at ESCAC, the University of Barcelona 's film school.

Chitlik is the father of an nineteen-year-old U.S. Senator to be. He owns two bicycles that he rides frequently. He also grows tomatoes, arugula, oranges, grapefruit, and grapes in his back yard.

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