Shawn Ryan (born October 11, 1966 in Rockford, Illinois) is an American

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

and

television producer A television producer is a person who oversees one or more aspects of video production on a television program. Some producers take more of an executive role, in that they conceive new programs and pitch them to the television networks, but upon a ...

. He created and co-created a number of TV drama series, including '' The Shield'' (2002–2008), '' The Chicago Code'' (2011), ''

Last Resort A last resort is something that is used when all other options have been exhausted. Last Resort or The Last Resort may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Last Resort'' (1986 film), starring Charles Grodin—a comedy set on a trop ...

'' (2012–13), ''

Timeless Timeless (or atemporal) or timelessness (or atemporality) may refer to: * Agelessness, the condition of being unaffected by the passage of time * Akal (Sikh term), timelessness in Sikhism * Eternity, timeless existence or infinite duration * Immo ...

'' (2016–2018) and ''

S.W.A.T. In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...

'' (2017–present). He also produced '' The Unit'' (2006–2009), '' Lie to Me'' (2009–11)'', Terriers'' (2010), and '' Mad Dogs'' (2015–16).

Early life

Shawn Ryan grew up in Rockford, Illinois. His mother is a schoolteacher and his father is a

CPA CPA may refer to: Organizations Political parties and governmental organizations * Christian Peoples Alliance, a political party in the UK * Coalition Provisional Authority, a transitional government of Iraq 2003–04 * Commonwealth Parliame ...

. He said he had "a very good family upbringing" and was interested in 1970 sitcoms as a child.

Career

After graduating from

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...

, Ryan got his start in television when he entered and won the Norman Lear Playwriting award sponsored by Columbia Pictures Television (which later became Sony). The award included a $25,000 cash gift and meetings with Columbia's top television producers. Later he was a staff writer on the show ''

Nash Bridges ''Nash Bridges'' is an American police procedural television series created by Carlton Cuse. The show stars Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The se ...

'' and served as a writer/producer on ''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inc ...

'' before creating and acting as

Head Writer A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits. In fictional comedy ...

on '' The Shield''. He was partnered with

David Mamet David Alan Mamet (; born November 30, 1947) is an American playwright, filmmaker, and author. He won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony nominations for his plays ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' (1984) and '' Speed-the-Plow'' (1988). He first gained cri ...

to serve as showrunner for '' The Unit''. Ryan was set to executive produce ''Confessions of a Contractor'', a 2009 CBS

television pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other dis ...

based on Richard Murphy's book of the same name. The story centres on a successful L.A. contractor who becomes involved with two of his female clients. The production was put on hold when casting contingencies could not be met. He was the show runner for season 2 of Fox's '' Lie to Me''. He was the show runner and executive producer of FX's '' Terriers''. He created the crime drama '' The Chicago Code''. In 2012, Ryan's pilot ''

'' got picked up by ABC for the fall. On November 21, 2012, it was announced that producers had been given enough notice of the network's plans not to pick the show up for a full season and that they were reworking the final episode to function as a series finale and give the fans closure. In January 2013, CBS picked up ''Beverly Hills Cop'', an hourlong crime procedural with comedic elements, with Ryan on board to pen the script and executive produce along with his MiddKid Productions partner Marney Hochman and

Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...

. The potential series was a follow-up to the Murphy franchise and centered on Foley's son, Aaron (played by Brandon T. Jackson), a cop working in Beverly Hills as he tries to escape his famous father's shadow. Barry Sonnenfeld directed the pilot. In May 2013, CBS announced it would not pick up the show.

Awards and nominations

He was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series in 2002 (

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

), and a Humanitas Prize in 1998.

Personal life

Ryan is married to actress Cathy Cahlin Ryan, who starred on '' The Shield'' and '' The Chicago Code''. They have two children.

References

External links and further reading

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Shawn 1966 births American television writers Living people Middlebury College alumni American male television writers Screenwriters from Illinois Television producers from Illinois The Shield Writers from Rockford, Illinois