The 50th Writers Guild of America Awards, given on 21 February 1998, honored the best writers in film and television of 1997.

Film

Best Adapted Screenplay

'' L.A. Confidential'' –

Curtis Hanson Curtis Lee Hanson (March 24, 1945 – September 20, 2016) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. His directing work included the psychological thriller '' The Hand That Rocks the Cradle'' (1992), the neo-noir crime film ''L. ...

and

Brian Helgeland Brian Thomas Helgeland (born January 17, 1961) is an American screenwriter, film producer and director. He is most known for writing the screenplays for the films ''L.A. Confidential'' and ''Mystic River''. He also wrote and directed the films ...

*'' Donnie Brasco'' –

Paul Attanasio Paul Albert Attanasio (born November 14, 1959) is an American screenwriter and film and television producer. He has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, for ''Quiz Show'' (1994) and ''Donnie Brasco'' (1997). ...

*'' The Ice Storm'' –

James Schamus James Allan Schamus (born September 7, 1959) is an American screenwriter, producer, business executive, film historian, professor, and director. He is a frequent collaborator of Ang Lee, the co-founder of the production company Good Machine, a ...

*''

Wag the Dog ''Wag the Dog'' is a 1997 American political satire black comedy film produced and directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro. The film centers on a spin doctor and a Hollywood producer who fabricate a war in Al ...

'' – Hilary Henkin and

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 ...

*''

The Wings of the Dove ''The Wings of the Dove'' is a 1902 novel by Henry James. It tells the story of Milly Theale, an American heiress stricken with a serious disease, and her effect on the people around her. Some of these people befriend Milly with honourable ...

'' –

Hossein Amini Hossein Amini ( fa, حسین امینی; born 18 January 1966) is an Iranian-born British screenwriter and film director. Amini has worked as a screenwriter since the early 1990s. He was nominated for numerous awards for the 1997 film '' The Win ...

Best Original Screenplay

As Good as It Gets ''As Good as It Gets'' is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by James L. Brooks, who co-wrote it with Mark Andrus. The film stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, bigoted, and obsessive–compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as ...

'' – Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks *'' Boogie Nights'' –

Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970), also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. He made his feature-film debut with '' Hard Eight'' (1996). He found critical and commercial success with ''Boogie Nights'' (1997) and received ...

*''

The Full Monty ''The Full Monty'' is a 1997 British comedy film directed by Peter Cattaneo, starring Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, William Snape, Steve Huison, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Barber and Hugo Speer. The screenplay was written by Simon Beaufoy. The film ...

'' –

Simon Beaufoy Simon Beaufoy (; born 26 December 1966) is a British screenwriter. Born in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire, he was educated at Malsis School in Cross Hills, Ermysted's Grammar School and Sedbergh School, he read English at St Peter's Colleg ...

*''

Good Will Hunting ''Good Will Hunting'' is a 1997 American psychological drama film directed by Gus Van Sant, and written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. It stars Robin Williams, Damon, Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård and Minnie Driver. The film received positive r ...

'' –

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Ameri ...

and

Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS education ...

*''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unit ...

'' – James Cameron

Television

Best Episodic Drama

"Entrapment" - '' Law & Order'' - Rene Balcer and Richard Sweren *"Whose Appy Now?" - '' ER'' - Neal Baer *"Deadbeat" - '' Law & Order'' - Ed Zuckerman and I. C. Rapoport

Best Episodic Comedy

" The Fatigues" - '' Seinfeld'' - Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin *"

The Puppy Episode "The Puppy Episode" is a two-part episode of the American situation comedy television series ''Ellen''. The episode details lead character Ellen Morgan's realization that she is a lesbian and her coming out. It was the 22nd and 23rd episode of ...

" - '' Ellen'' - Mark Driscoll, Dana Savel, Tracey Newman, Jonathan Stark and Ellen DeGeneres *" The Impossible Dream" - ''

Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee (as Grub ...

'' - Rob Greenberg *"

The Chicken Roaster "The Chicken Roaster" is the 142nd episode of the sitcom '' Seinfeld''. This was the eighth episode for the eighth season, originally airing on November 14, 1996. The episode's story follows the mishaps which follow when Kenny Rogers Roasters open ...

" - '' Seinfeld'' - Alec Berg and Jeff Schaffer *"

The Bizarro Jerry "The Bizarro Jerry" is the 137th episode of the United States, American television sitcom ''Seinfeld''. This was the third episode of the eighth season, originally airing on the NBC network on October 3, 1996. The title and plot extensively referen ...

" - '' Seinfeld'' - David Mandel *"Ellen, Or Isn't She?" - ''

The Larry Sanders Show ''The Larry Sanders Show'' is an American television sitcom set in the office and studio of a fictional late-night talk show. The series was created by Garry Shandling and Dennis Klein and aired from August 15, 1992, to May 31, 1998, on the HBO ...

'' - Judd Apatow, John Markus and Garry Shandling *"The Book" - ''

'' -

Maya Forbes Maya Forbes (born July 23, 1968) is an American screenwriter and television producer. She made her debut as a film director with ''Infinitely Polar Bear'' (2014). Her other writing credits include the screenplay of '' The Rocker'' (2008) and many ...

1997 Daytime Serials Winner- '' General Hospital'':

Claire Labine Claire Vaughn Labine (née Wood; June 28, 1934 – November 11, 2016) was an American soap opera writer and producer.

; Matthew Labine; Robert Guza, Jr.; Karen Harris;

Michele Val Jean Michele Val Jean (b. 1950s) is an American television writer on the CBS Daytime soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. Career In 2000 she was promoted, alongside Elizabeth Korte, to the post of head writer, making her the first African Amer ...

;

Meg Bennett Meg Bennett is an American television soap opera writer and occasional actress. She is married to ex-''General Hospital'' head writer Robert Guza Jr. Early life Born Helen Bennett on October 4, 1948, Meg is the eldest daughter of a printing compa ...

; Ralph Ellis; Mary Ryan;

Jane Atkins Jane Atkins is an American film & television writer and actress. She is a native of Florida. As an actress, she has performed with the ''American Conservatory Theatre'', the ''Actors’ Theatre of Louisville'', South Coast Repertory, the Oregon ...

; Stephanie Braxton;

Judith Pinsker Judith Ann Pinsker (January 17, 1940, Kenmore, New York - April 26, 2014, Englewood, New Jersey) was an American television writer. Pinsker co-wrote (with Claire Labine) the 1995 ''New York Times'' bestseller ''General Hospital'' tie-in novel ''Ro ...

; Lynda Myles;

Elizabeth Korte Elizabeth Korte is an American television writer for the ABC Daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''. Positions held ''General Hospital'' *Occasional breakdown writer: 2005–2008 *Script editor: 2002 – January 3, 2008, March 17, 2008–prese ...

; Patrick Mulcahey; Lisa Lieberman Other Nominees: '' All My Children'':

Agnes Nixon Agnes Nixon ( Eckhardt; December 10, 1922 – September 28, 2016) was an American television writer and producer, and the creator of the ABC soap operas ''One Life to Live'', ''All My Children'', as well as ''Loving'' and its spin-off '' The Ci ...

; Lorraine Broderick;

Hal Corley Hal Corley is an American television writer and playwright. He was Associate Head Writer for ''All My Children'' and ''As The World Turns'', for which he won five Daytime Emmy Awards and two Writers Guild of America Awards. His plays have been d ...

; Fredrick Johnson; Gail Lawrence; Jeff Beldner; Christina Covino; Courtney Sherman; Millee Taggart;

Karen Lewis Karen Lewis ( Jennings; July 20, 1953 – February 7, 2021) was an American educator and labor leader who served as president of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), Chicago's division of the American Federation of Teachers, from 2010 to 2014. F ...

; Elizabeth Smith; Michelle Patrick; Bettina F. Bradbury; Judith Donato; Kathleen Klein; Jane Owen Murphy

References

WGA - Previous award winners
{{DEFAULTSORT:Writers Guild Of America Awards 1997

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...

1997 film awards

Writ In common law, a writ (Anglo-Saxon ''gewrit'', Latin ''breve'') is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court. Warrants, prerogative writs, subpoenas, a ...

1997 in American cinema 1997 in American television February 1998 events in the United States