| Writer/Producer Pen Densham |
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| Biography A writer, producer and occasional director of highly entertaining genre fare of the 1980s and 90s, Pen Densham specialized in action-adventure with a minor in sci-fi. The son of a lighting camera operator, Densham was born and raised in England. He initially showed an interest in photography, studied at art schools in Bournemouth and Salisbury and eventually made his way to Toronto, Canada in the mid-60s. Shortly after his arrival, he began making short films, some with media guru Marshall McLuhan. He met John Watson and the duo formed Insight Productions, creating films and TV commercials. After earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Short Subject for "Life Times Nine" (1973), Densham and Watson were lured to Hollywood by fellow Canadian Norman Jewison. Through working with Jewison on "F.I.S.T." (1978), Densham met Sylvester Stallone for whom Densham was consultant and montage supervisor on "Rocky II" (1979). Watson and Densham earned a second Oscar nod for Best Short Subject with 1980's "Don't Mess With Bill". In 1985, Densham, Watson and Richard Barton Lewis formed Trilogy, although their first effort, "The Zoo Gang" (1985), which Densham co-directed and co-wrote with Watson and co-produced with Watson and Lewis, was little seen. Densham began directing features in earnest with "The Kiss" (1988), a horror tale of a curse passed down generation-to-generation with a woman-to-woman kiss. In 1991, Trilogy finally became true Hollywood players when the trio produced the hit films "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", with Kevin Costner, and "Backdraft", directed by Ron Howard. Densham and Watson also co-wrote "Robin Hood", for which they were paid $1.2 million by Morgan Creek Prods. Subsequent feature efforts, which Densham produced, however, were not as successful: "Blown Away" (1994) and "Tank Girl" (1995). In 1996, Densham co-produced, directed and adapted a new version of "Moll Flanders" for the big screen. Critics praised the film for its strong performances, particularly Robin Wright in the title role and Stockard Channing as a madam, and its period detail. |
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| Trilogy Entertainment Group |
| Building on its foundation of proven box office hits and production savvy, Trilogy Entertainment is making its mark as one of the preeminent independent production companies of the '90s. With projects in feature film, television, and multimedia, Trilogy has a vitality and vision as dynamic and different as the personalities and talents of its three founders. Shepherded by Hollywood maverick independent producers Richard B. Lewis, John Watson and Pen Densham, Trilogy's prodigious line-up includes the hugely successful Emmy and CableACE award-winning syndicated series The Outer Limits, its follow-up Poltergeist: The Legacy, and the highly anticipated fall '97 series FAME L.A., as well as mini-series and movies for network television. Along with 22 feature films now in development, Trilogy produced the recent features MOLL FLANDERS, nominated for four International Press Academy Awards and LARGER THAN LIFE, starring Bill Murray. Currently featured on the cover of Who's Who in the Motion Picture Industry, the trio of Densham, Lewis, and Watson promise to continue to challenge audiences in a variety of mediums. Trilogy burst onto the motion picture scene with two films, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Backdraft, which together generated nearly $700 million in theatrical revenues, four Academy Award nominations, and a major theme park attraction at Universal Studios. Written by Trilogy partners Pen Densham and John Watson, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves featured the talents of Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, Alan Rickman, and Sean Connery. Trilogy Entertainment Group launched into 1996 by signing an ambitious multi-picture theatrical motion picture production deal with Spelling Films International. Under the terms of the agreement Spelling will finance the development and production costs of a full slate of pictures over the next three years. Few companies have made as dramatic an entrance into the television arena as Trilogy Entertainment Group. A scant three years ago, Trilogy dipped its toe into the water with the creation of the anthology sci-fi series "The Outer Limits", distributed by MGM Worldwide Television. It became an immediate hit, spawning a follow-up series, "Poltergeist: The Legacy", and causing MGM Worldwide Television to sign Trilogy Television, a newly formed division of Trilogy, to an exclusive multi-year deal in January 1997. With this deal, which calls for unprecedented slate of television product, including series for network, syndication and pay television, mini-series, movies-of-the-week, and animated shows, totaling over $100 million in production commitments, Trilogy remains the primary engine in the ongoing revival of MGM Television. "The Magnificent Seven," a two-hour pilot for CBS created by Trilogy partner Pen Densham and John Watson and executive produced by Watson, Lewis and Densham along with Walter Mirisch, producer of the original The Magnificent Seven. MOLL FLANDERS was created, written and directed by partner Pen Densham. This dramatic period piece, nominated for four International Press Academy Spirit Awards, boasted a critically acclaimed cast including multi-Academy Award nominated Morgan Freeman from T Trilogy's own ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES |