Frank Spotnitz Biography

Frank Spotnitz (born November 17, 1960) is an American television writer and producer, best known for his work on The X-Files television series.

Biography

Frank Spotnitz's latest series, "Hunted", aired on BBC1 and HBO Cinemax in autumn 2012. He is currently developing a spinoff series, "Sam Hunter," for Cinemax and writing a four-hour adaptation of Philip K. Dick's classic novel, The Man in the High Castle, for Ridley Scott.

Spotnitz worked on The X-Files for eight of its nine seasons, including four years as executive producer and three as president of Chris Carter's Ten Thirteen Productions.

Joining The X-Files as a writer in 1994, Spotnitz quickly became involved not only in developing the series' stand-alone episodes, but its elaborate "mythology" storyline dealing with government conspiracy and aliens. He directed two episodes and wrote or co-wrote more than 40 installments, including the Emmy-nominated "Memento Mori" (with Chris Carter, Vince Gilligan, and John Shiban) in 1997. Other honors accorded Spotnitz for his work on the series include Golden Globe wins for Best Dramatic Series, a Peabody Award, and three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Drama Series.

After The X-Files ended its run in 2002, Spotnitz served as executive producer alongside director Michael Mann of the critically acclaimed CBS crime drama Robbery Homicide Division.

In 2006, Spotnitz co-wrote and created (with Vince Gilligan) a pilot for Spike TV called A.M.P.E.D. Spotnitz "re-imagined" the classic Night Stalker TV series for ABC and Touchstone Television in 2005.

His other credits include co-executive producer of Millennium (1996"1999) and executive producer of Harsh Realm (2000) and The Lone Gunmen (2001), which he also co-created. He also co-produced and co-authored the story for the feature film The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998), and produced and co-wrote the 2008 sequel The X-Files: I Want To Believe. He also wrote three comic books for Wildstorm based on "The X-Files", the first issue released two weeks before the last film (although it was not an adaptation).

These days Spotnitz serves as chief executive of Big Light Productions Ltd, a London-based production company specializing in trans-Atlantic drama series.

The BBC commissioned Hunted in 2011. The series was produced in association with Kudos Film and Television and Cinemax. After the BBC chose not to renew the series, HBO Cinemax commissioned Spotnitz to develop a spinoff series retaining the character of Sam Hunter, played by Melissa George.

Spotnitz also served as the co-executive producer and writer for Left Bank Pictures' season 2 of Strike Back for UK channel Sky1 (and US channel Cinemax) that aired during the summer/autumn of 2011.

Born in Camp Zama, Japan, Spotnitz received a B.A. in English literature from UCLA and an M.F.A. in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. He began his career as a newspaper and magazine writer, working for the Associated Press, United Press International and Entertainment Weekly, among others. He is married to Melissa Lefante and has four children.

Credits

The X-Files

Season	Title	Notes
2	"End Game"	Mythology; Writer
2	"Our Town"	Writer
3	"Nisei"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz, Chris Carter & Howard Gordon
3	"731"	Follows on form "Nisei"; Mythology; Writer
3	"Piper Maru"	'Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
3	"Apocrypha"	Follows on from "Piper Maru"; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
4	"Tunguska"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
4	"Terma"	Follows on from "Tunguska"; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
4	"Leonard Betts"	Written by Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
4	"Memento Mori"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz, Chris Carter, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
4	"Tempus Fugit"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
4	"Max"	Follows on from "Tempus Fugit"; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
4	"Zero Sum"	Written by Spotnitz & Howard Gordon
5	"Detour"	Writer
5	"Christmas Carol"	Written by Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
5	"Emily"	Follows on from "Christmas Carol"; Written by Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
5	"Patient X"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
5	"The Red and the Black"	Follows on from "Patient X; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
5	"Travelers"	Written by Spotnitz & John Shiban
5	"All Souls"	Written by Spotnitz & John Shiban
MOVIE	"The X-Files: Fight the Future"	Mythology; Story by Spotnitz & Chris Carter (Screenplay by Carter)
6	"Dreamland"	Written by Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
6	"Dreamland II"	Follows on from "Dreamland"; Written by Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
6	"Two Fathers"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
6	"One Son"	Follows on from "Two Fathers; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
6	"Milagro"	Story by Spotnitz & John Shiban (Teleplay by Chris Carter)
6	"Field Trip"	Story (Teleplay by Vince Gilligan & John Shiban)
6	"Biogenesis"	Season Six Finale; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
7	"Millennium"	Written by Spotnitz & Vince Gilligan
7	"The Amazing Maleeni"	Written by Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
7	"Sein und Zeit"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
7	"Closure"	Follows on from "Sein und Zeit"; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
7	"Theef"	Written by Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
8	"Via Negativa"	Writer
8	"The Gift	Writer
8	"Medusa"	Writer
8	"Per Manum"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
8	"This is not Happening"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
8	"Deadalive"	Follows on from "This is not Happening"; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
8	"Three Words"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
8	"Alone"	Writer & Director
9	"Nothing Important Happened Today"	Season Nine Premiere; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
9	"Nothing Important Happened Today II"	Follows on from "Nothing Important Happened Today"; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
9	"Dæmonicus"	Writer & Director
9	"Trust No 1"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
9	"Provenance"	Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
9	"Providence"	Follows on from "Provenance"; Mythology; Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter
9	"Jump the Shark"	Written by Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan & John Shiban
9	"William"	Story by Spotnitz, Chris Carter & David Duchovny (Teleplay by Carter
MOVIE	"The X-Files: I Want to Believe"	Written by Spotnitz & Chris Carter

Millennium

Season	Title	Notes
1	"Weeds"	Writer
1	"Sacrament"	Writer
3	"TEOTWAWKI"	Written by Spotnitz, Chris Carter
3	"Antipas"	Written by Spotnitz, Chris Carter
3	"Seven and One"	Written by Spotnitz, Chris Carter

Night Stalker

Season	Title	Notes
1	"Pilot"	Writer
1	"The Source"	Writer
1	"The Sea"	Writer
1	"Into Night"	Writer

Strike Back: Project Dawn

Season	Title	Notes
1	"Episode 1"	Writer
1	"Episode 2"	Writer
1	"Episode 3"	Writer
1	"Episode 4"	Writer

Hunted

Season	Title	Notes
1	"Mort"	Writer
1	"LB"	Writer
1	"Ambassadors"	Writer
1	"Khyber"	Writer (with Amira El Nemr)
1	"Snow Maiden"	Writer