Nora Ephron Wiki Biography
Nora Ephron (EHF-rihn; May 19, 1941 – June 26, 2012) was an American journalist, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, producer, director, and blogger.Ephron is best known for her romantic comedies and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Writing: for Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally…, and Sleepless in Seattle. She won a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay for When Harry Met Sally…. She sometimes wrote with her sister Delia Ephron. Her last film was Julie & Julia. She also co-authored the Drama Desk Award–winning theatrical production Love, Loss, and What I Wore. In 2013, Ephron received a posthumous Tony Award nomination for Best Play for her play Lucky Guy.
| Full Name | Nora Ephron |
| Net Worth | $40 Million |
| Date Of Birth | May 19, 1941 |
| Died | 2012-06-26 |
| Place Of Birth | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Profession | Writer, Producer, Director |
| Education | Wellesley College |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Nicholas Pileggi |
| Children | Jacob Bernstein, Max Bernstein |
| Parents | Phoebe Ephron, Henry Ephron |
| Siblings | Delia Ephron, Amy Ephron, Hallie Ephron |
| IMDB | http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001188 |
| Awards | BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay, Glamour Woman of the Year Award, Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Adult Nonfiction, Ian McLellan Hunter Award |
| Nominations | Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Tony Award for Best Play, Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay, Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Edgar A… |
| Movies | Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally…, You’ve Got Mail, Julie & Julia, Silkwood, Bewitched, Mixed Nuts, This Is My Life, Michael, Heartburn, Hanging Up, Lucky Numbers, My Blue Heaven, Cookie, Perfect Gentlemen, Husbands and Wives |
| TV Shows | Hopeless Pictures, Where’s Elvis This Week? |
| Quote | |
|---|---|
| 1 | A successful parent is one who raises their child to be able to pay for their own psychoanalysis. |
| 2 | As far as the men who are running for president are concerned, they aren’t even people I would date. |
| 3 | Whenever I get married, I start buying Gourmet magazine. |
| 4 | Beware of men who cry. It’s true that men who cry are sensitive to and in touch with feelings, but the only feelings they tend to be sensitive to and in touch with are their own. |
| 5 | When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. |
| 6 | With any child entering adolescence, one hunts for signs of health, is desperate for the smallest indication that the child’s problems will never be important enough for a television movie. |
| 7 | What my mother believed about cooking is that if you worked hard and prospered, someone else would do it for you. |
| 8 | What will happen to sex after liberation? Frankly, I don’t know. It is a great mystery to all of us. |
| 9 | My mother wanted us to understand that the tragedies of your life one day have the potential to be comic stories the next. |
| 10 | In my sex fantasy, nobody ever loves me for my mind. |
| 11 | I try to write parts for women that are as complicated and interesting as women actually are. |
| 12 | My mother was a good recreational cook, but what she basically believed about cooking was that if you worked hard and prospered, someone else would do it for you. |
| 13 | Summer bachelors, like summer breezes, are never as cool as they pretend to be. |
| 14 | Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy. |
| 15 | The desire to get married, which – I regret to say, I believe is basic and primal in women – is followed almost immediately by an equally basic and primal urge – which is to be single again. |
| 16 | If pregnancy were a book they would cut the last two chapters. |
| 17 | I am continually fascinated at the difficulty intelligent people have in distinguishing what is controversial from what is merely offensive. |
| 18 | I don’t care who you are. When you sit down to write the first page of your screenplay, in your head, you’re also writing your Oscar acceptance speech. |
| 19 | [on feminine hygiene aids] There are a lot of men who manufacture the product who are so reluctant to talk straight about it that you can spend hours with them and not hear one anatomical phrase. They speak of ‘the problem’. They speak of ‘the area where the problem exists’. Every so often a hard-core word slides into the conversation. Vagina, maybe. Or sometimes from someone particularly scientific or candid, a vulva or two. |
| 20 | One of the few advantages to not being beautiful is that one usually gets better-looking as one gets older; I am, in fact, at this very moment gaining my looks. |
| 21 | [on success] Most of us live our lives devoid of cinematic moments. |
| 22 | Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy. |
| Fact | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Portrayed by Grace Gummer in Good Girls Revolt (2015). Gummer’s mother, Meryl Streep, starred in three films written by Ephron: Silkwood (1983), Heartburn (1986) and Julie & Julia (2009). |
| 2 | Favorite film is Stanley Donen’s Indiscreet (1958), with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. |
| 3 | New York, NY, USA: Eight months after her death, Ephron’s play ‘Lucky Guy’ opens on Broadway for a limited run starring her longtime friend Tom Hanks. [February 2013] |
| 4 | In her most recent book, “I Remember Nothing,” she ends the collection of essays with two lists: What I Won’t Miss, and What I Will Miss. After the lists come the acknowledgments, which ends with “and of course, my doctors.” |
| 5 | She was cremated and her ashes scattered. |
| 6 | Ex-sister-in-law of Sasha Harari (husband of sister Amy). |
| 7 | Aunt of Anna Harari, Maia Harari and Ethan Harari. |
| 8 | Upon her death, it was revealed that Ephron had been diagnosed only a few years before with myelodysplastic syndrome, a pre-leukemic condition. It was a secret she shared with only a few close famly members and friends. |
| 9 | Sister-in-law of Jerome Kass (husband of sister Delia). |
| 10 | In a 2005 interview with Tom Brokaw, she stated that even though then husband Carl Bernstein didn’t make her privy to the identity of Watergate informant “Deep Throat,” she figured it out from clues (including Bernstein’s notes referencing the initials “M. F.” — allegedly for “my friend”) and was willing to tell her guess to anyone who asked. Her guess was proved correct when on May 31, 2005, W. Mark Felt, former assistant director of the FBI during the Richard Nixon administration, was identified as Deep Throat. |
| 11 | Went to Beverly Hills High School as did Angelina Jolie, Michael Klesic, Nicolas Cage, Lenny Kravitz, Gina Gershon, Richard Dreyfuss, Jonathan Silverman, and David Schwimmer. |
| 12 | Used to live in famous Manhattan apartment house on the West side called the Apthorp. |
| 13 | Sons: Jacob Bernstein and Max Bernstein. |
| 14 | Daughter of Henry Ephron and Phoebe Ephron. |
| 15 | Older sister of Delia Ephron, Hallie Ephron and Amy Ephron. |
Writer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie & Julia | 2009 | screenplay | |
| Acting for the Camera | 2009 | Short additional dialogue | |
| Bewitched | 2005 | written by | |
| Hanging Up | 2000 | screenplay | |
| You’ve Got Mail | 1998 | screenplay | |
| Michael | 1996 | screenplay | |
| Mixed Nuts | 1994 | screenplay | |
| Sleepless in Seattle | 1993 | screenplay | |
| This Is My Life | 1992 | screenplay | |
| My Blue Heaven | 1990/I | written by | |
| When Harry Met Sally… | 1989 | written by | |
| Cookie | 1989 | written by | |
| Heartburn | 1986 | novel / screenplay | |
| Silkwood | 1983 | written by | |
| Perfect Gentlemen | 1978 | TV Movie | |
| Adam’s Rib | 1973 | TV Series story – 1 episode |
Producer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie & Julia | 2009 | producer | |
| Bewitched | 2005 | producer | |
| Lucky Numbers | 2000 | producer | |
| Hanging Up | 2000 | producer | |
| You’ve Got Mail | 1998 | producer | |
| All I Wanna Do | 1998 | executive producer | |
| Michael | 1996 | producer | |
| My Blue Heaven | 1990/I | executive producer | |
| When Harry Met Sally… | 1989 | associate producer | |
| Cookie | 1989 | executive producer |
Director
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie & Julia | 2009 | ||
| Bewitched | 2005 | ||
| Lucky Numbers | 2000 | ||
| You’ve Got Mail | 1998 | ||
| Michael | 1996 | ||
| Mixed Nuts | 1994 | ||
| Sleepless in Seattle | 1993 | ||
| This Is My Life | 1992 |
Actress
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Husbands and Wives | 1992 | Dinner Party Guests | |
| Crimes and Misdemeanors | 1989 | Wedding Guest |
Soundtrack
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael | 1996 | writer: “Lips Like a Blowfish” 1996 | |
| This Is My Life | 1992 | writer: “You Can’t Get To Heaven” |
Miscellaneous
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The 74th Annual Academy Awards | 2002 | TV Special director: New York Tribute |
Thanks
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jake and the Giants | 2015 | grateful thanks to | |
| Me and Earl and the Dying Girl | 2015 | special thanks | |
| Edición Especial Coleccionista | 2012 | TV Series in memory of – 1 episode | |
| The Five-Year Engagement | 2012 | special thanks | |
| The Five Stages of Grief | 2011 | Short special thanks | |
| Leaves of Grass | 2009 | the director wishes to thank | |
| Cake | 2005/I | special thanks | |
| How Harry Met Sally… | 2001 | Video short documentary special thanks | |
| HBO First Look | 1998 | TV Series documentary special thanks – 1 episode |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makers: Women Who Make America | 2013 | TV Mini-Series documentary | Herself |
| Smiling Through the Apocalypse | 2013 | Documentary | Herself |
| American Masters | 2012 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| The 2011 Annual American Theatre Wing Gala | 2011 | TV Movie | Herself |
| Vine Talk | 2011 | TV Series | Herself |
| Charlie Rose | 1998-2010 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| Real Time with Bill Maher | 2010 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| Et Hollywood créa la femme | 2010 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
| AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Mike Nichols | 2010 | TV Movie | Herself |
| Secret Ingredients: Creating Julie & Julia | 2009 | Video short | Herself |
| Delivering ‘You’ve Got Mail’ | 2008 | Video short | Herself |
| Late Show with David Letterman | 2008 | TV Series | Herself – Top Ten List Presenter |
| The View | 2007 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| New York 360º Presents: The 2007 Matrix Awards | 2007 | TV Special | Herself |
| Greatest Ever Romantic Movies | 2007 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
| Dreams on Spec | 2007 | Documentary | Herself |
| The Colbert Report | 2006 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| The Oprah Winfrey Show | 2006 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| Treasures Untold: The Making of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ | 2006 | Video documentary | Herself |
| The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | 2006 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| Tavis Smiley | 2006 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| This Week | 2006 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| Dateline NBC | 2006 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| Biography | 1999-2006 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| E! True Hollywood Story | 2005 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| Hopeless Pictures | 2005 | TV Series | Herself (voice) |
| AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movie Quotes: America’s Greatest Quips, Comebacks and Catchphrases | 2005 | TV Special documentary | Herself |
| Bewitched: Star Shots | 2005 | Video documentary short | Herself |
| Casting a Spell: Making ‘Bewitched’ | 2005 | Video documentary short | Herself |
| Why I Love ‘Bewitched’ | 2005 | Video documentary short | Herself |
| AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Meryl Streep | 2004 | TV Special | Herself |
| Intimate Portrait | 1995-2003 | TV Series documentary | Herself / Herself – Director & Writer |
| AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Tom Hanks | 2002 | TV Special | Herself |
| New York at the Movies | 2002 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
| Film Genre | 2002 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| ESPN SportsCentury | 2001 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| How Harry Met Sally… | 2001 | Video short documentary | Herself – Screenwriter |
| The Making of ‘Hanging Up’ | 2000 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
| HBO First Look | 1998-2000 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| Steve Martin: Seriously Funny | 1999 | Documentary | Herself |
| Signed, Sealed, Delivered | 1998 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
| The Directors | 1997 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
| The Rosie O’Donnell Show | 1997 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| Where’s Elvis This Week? | 1996 | TV Series | Herself |
| The Good, the Bad & the Beautiful | 1996 | TV Special documentary | Herself |
| CBS This Morning | 1993 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| The Home Show | 1992 | TV Series | Herself |
| Late Night with David Letterman | 1983-1992 | TV Series | Herself |
| Primetime | 1989 | TV Series documentary | Herself – Screenwriter (segment “Nora Ephron”) |
| The Mike Douglas Show | 1971 | TV Series | Herself – Author |
| The David Frost Show | 1970 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| The Dick Cavett Show | 1970 | TV Series | Herself – Guest |
| Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women | 2014 | Documentary | Herself – Interviewee |
Archive Footage
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everything Is Copy | 2015 | Documentary | Herself |
| The 67th Annual Tony Awards | 2013 | TV Movie documentary | Herself – Writer (In Memoriam) |
| The 85th Annual Academy Awards | 2013 | TV Special | Himself – Writer & Director (In Memoriam) |
| The EE British Academy Film Awards | 2013 | TV Special | Memorial Tribute |
| Whistleblowers: The Untold Stories | 2012 | TV Series | Herself – Award winning Director / Herself – Award winning Director and activist |
Won Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Golden Apple Award | Casting Society of America, USA | ||
| 2009 | WFCC Award | Women Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Movie by a Woman | Julie & Julia (2009) |
| 2008 | Icon Award | Elle Women in Hollywood Awards | ||
| 2003 | Ian McLellan Hunter Award | Writers Guild of America, USA | ||
| 1994 | Crystal Award | Women in Film Crystal Awards | ||
| 1992 | Muse Award | New York Women in Film & Television | ||
| 1990 | BAFTA Film Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Screenplay – Original | When Harry Met Sally… (1989) |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Movies for Grownups Award | AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | Best Director | Julie & Julia (2009) |
| 2010 | Movies for Grownups Award | AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | Best Screenwriter | Julie & Julia (2009) |
| 2010 | WGA Award (Screen) | Writers Guild of America, USA | Best Adapted Screenplay | Julie & Julia (2009) |
| 2009 | EDA Female Focus Award | Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Best Woman Screenwriter | Julie & Julia (2009) |
| 2009 | Satellite Award | Satellite Awards | Best Screenplay, Adapted | Julie & Julia (2009) |
| 2006 | Razzie Award | Razzie Awards | Worst Director | Bewitched (2005) |
| 2006 | Razzie Award | Razzie Awards | Worst Screenplay | Bewitched (2005) |
| 2005 | Stinker Award | The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards | Worst Sense of Direction (Stop them before they direct again!) | Bewitched (2005) |
| 1999 | Golden Satellite Award | Satellite Awards | Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical | You’ve Got Mail (1998) |
| 1994 | Oscar | Academy Awards, USA | Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen | Sleepless in Seattle (1993) |
| 1994 | BAFTA Film Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Screenplay – Original | Sleepless in Seattle (1993) |
| 1994 | WGA Award (Screen) | Writers Guild of America, USA | Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen | Sleepless in Seattle (1993) |
| 1990 | Oscar | Academy Awards, USA | Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen | When Harry Met Sally… (1989) |
| 1990 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | When Harry Met Sally… (1989) |
| 1990 | WGA Award (Screen) | Writers Guild of America, USA | Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen | When Harry Met Sally… (1989) |
| 1984 | Oscar | Academy Awards, USA | Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen | Silkwood (1983) |
| 1984 | WGA Award (Screen) | Writers Guild of America, USA | Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen | Silkwood (1983) |
| 1979 | Edgar | Edgar Allan Poe Awards | Best Television Feature or Miniseries | Perfect Gentlemen (1978) |