Edward Burns

Edward Fitzgerald Burns, born on January 29, 1968, is an American actor and filmmaker who gained initial recognition for his breakthrough ultra low-budget independent film, "The Brothers McMullen" (1995). The film became a surprise worldwide hit, bringing Burns to the forefront of independent cinema. Throughout his career, Burns has appeared in a variety of films, including notable roles in "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), "The Holiday" (2006), "Man on a Ledge" (2012), "Friends with Kids" (2012), and "Alex Cross" (2012).
In addition to his acting career, Burns has made significant contributions as a filmmaker, directing movies such as "She's the One" (1996), "Sidewalks of New York" (2001), and "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas" (2012). His work behind the camera reflects a commitment to authentic storytelling and capturing the nuances of human relationships.
On television, Burns has portrayed Bugsy Siegel in the TNT crime drama series "Mob City" and starred as Terry Muldoon in TNT's "Public Morals." His performances showcase his versatility as an actor across both film and television mediums.


Edward Fitzgerald Burns was born in Woodside, Queens, New York, to Molly (née McKenna), a federal agency manager, and Edward J. Burns, a public relations spokesman and police officer. He grew up in a Roman Catholic household as the second of three children, with siblings Mary and Brian. Burns has Irish ancestry, as well as one-quarter Swedish heritage. He spent his formative years in Valley Stream, New York, on Long Island.
Burns attended Chaminade High School briefly before transferring to Hewlett High School. Following high school, he pursued higher education at various institutions, including SUNY Oneonta, University at Albany, and Hunter College, where he studied from 1987 to 1992.


After completing his education, Burns entered the film industry as a production assistant on the Oliver Stone film, The Doors. Concurrently, he worked as a gofer at Entertainment Tonight. In his spare time, Burns financed, produced, directed, and starred in his debut film, The Brothers McMullen, which was predominantly shot in his hometown of Valley Stream.
Following the completion of The Brothers McMullen, Burns seized an opportunity to get a copy of the film to Robert Redford after conducting an interview for Entertainment Tonight during a junket for Quiz Show at the Rhiga Royal Hotel in Manhattan. This move proved pivotal for Burns's career.


In 1996, Burns wrote, directed, and starred in the ensemble drama She's the One, featuring Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, and Amanda Peet. Additionally, he helmed Sidewalks of New York in 2001.
Burns has also gained recognition for his acting roles in films such as Saving Private Ryan (1998), Life or Something Like It (2002), and Confidence (2003). In 2004, Burns wrote, directed, and starred in Looking for Kitty, a film shot with a hand-held $3,000 digital camera and a modest budget of $200,000. The production took place in New York City with a small crew and without standard permits. Burns discussed this unconventional filmmaking approach in the director's commentary on the DVD, emphasizing the possibility of making movies with limited resources and having an enjoyable experience.


After the success of Purple Violets, which premiered exclusively on iTunes on November 20, 2007, Burns ventured into television with guest appearances on the HBO series Entourage and a role as Grace Adler's boyfriend in Will & Grace. In Entourage, Burns portrayed himself, depicted as writing a new TV series where Johnny Drama lands a part.
In 2007, Burns announced a partnership with Virgin Comics to create a series titled Dock Walloper, with plans to adapt the comic series into a film.
March 2009 saw the release of The Lynch Pin, a series of shorts starring, written, and directed by Burns, distributed online. The project's future remains uncertain as of August 2009.


Despite the modest success of Purple Violets, Burns considered taking a studio directing assignment for financial reasons but ultimately chose to remain a writer/director. He quickly wrote and shot Nice Guy Johnny, using the RED One camera, for a reported $25,000 with a small crew. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2010.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011, Burns wrote, directed, and starred in Newlyweds, shot on the Canon 5D with an even smaller crew for $9,000 in just 12 days. The film premiered as the closing night feature at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011.
In 2013, Burns portrayed real-life gangster Bugsy Siegel in Frank Darabont's miniseries Mob City.


In 2012, Burns initiated a screenwriting contest with the web startup Scripped, aimed at producing a crowdsourced screenplay.
Edward Burns is married to model Christy Turlington, and together they have two children: a daughter born in 2003 and a son born in 2006. Both Burns and Turlington are Catholic. Additionally, Burns serves as an advisor to ICX Media, an ad-tech audience analytics data firm.

References

1.  "Edward Burns Biography (1968–)". Film Reference. Archived from the original on October 31, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
2. ^ "Edward Burns". New York University. October 30, 2007. Archived from the original on June 5, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
3. ^ Mills, Nancy (November 12, 2001). "Ed Burns' 'New York,' before & after film's mood fits despite the Sept. 11 divide". Daily News. New York City. Retrieved May 17, 2020. He's Irish-Catholic, used to work at "Entertainment Tonight," has a father who's a cop and has that bridge-and-tunnel reverse pride of people whose lives span the East River.
4. ^ Cohn, Beverly (2012). "An Exclusive Interview With Edward Burns - Up Close & Personal". Splash Magazines - Los Angeles. Archived from the original on April 13, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018. I'm thankful that I'm one-quarter Swedish, as well.
5. ^ Weinraub, Bernard (January 30, 1995). "A Sort of Cinderella Prevails at Sundance". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2007. Mr. Burns's parents encouraged him to write years ago; his mother, a film buff, watches Woody Allen's 'Annie Hall' and 'Manhattan' twice a month.
6. ^ Calamari, Alexandra. "Looking For Kitty DVD Review". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012. The movie's budget was just over two hundred thousand dollars and it shows, with fuzzy pictures, unimpressive sound quality, and that horrible banjo strumming that always seems to be on the soundtrack of indie films.
7. ^ MacDonald, Daniel (December 12, 2006). "Review - Looking For Kitty". DVDVerdict. Archived from the original on December 15, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012. He made the movie for a staggering $200,000, purchasing a Panasonic digital camera for three grand and casting friends who could help him out for a couple of weeks.