Shawn Ryan (born October 11, 1966)[1] is an American screenwriter and television producer. He has created and/or produced a number of television series including The Shield (2002–2008), The Unit (2006–2009), Lie to Me (2009–11), Timeless (2016–2018), S.W.A.T. (2017–present) and The Night Agent (2023–present).

Shawn Ryan
Born (1966-10-11) October 11, 1966 (age 57)
Education
Occupations
  • Screenwriter
  • television producer
SpouseCathy Cahlin Ryan
Children2

Early life edit

Ryan was born in Rockford, Illinois.[1] His mother is a schoolteacher and his father is a CPA.[2] He said he had "a very good family upbringing" and was interested in 1970s sitcoms as a child.[2]

Career edit

After graduating from Middlebury College, 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 and served as a writer/producer on Angel before creating and acting as head writer on The Shield. He was partnered with David Mamet to serve as showrunner for The Unit.[citation needed]

Ryan was set to executive produce Confessions of a Contractor,[3] a 2009 CBS television pilot 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.[4] He was the showrunner for season 2 of Fox's Lie to Me. He was the showrunner and executive producer of FX's Terriers. He created the crime drama The Chicago Code.[5] In 2012, Ryan's pilot Last Resort 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. 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 edit

He was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series in 2002 (Emmy Award), and a Humanitas Prize in 1998.

Personal life edit

Ryan is married to actress Cathy Cahlin Ryan, who starred on The Shield and The Chicago Code. They have two children.[6][7][8]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Television edit

Year Title Network Creator Writer Executive
Producer
Notes
1990 My Two Dads NBC No Yes No
1997–1998 Life with Louie Fox No Yes Yes
1997–2000 Nash Bridges CBS No Yes No Co-producer only
2000–2001 Angel The WB No Yes No Producer only
2002–2008 The Shield FX Yes Yes Yes
2006–2009 The Unit CBS No Yes Yes
2010 Lie to Me Fox No Yes Yes
2010 Terriers FX No Yes Yes
2011 The Chicago Code Fox Yes Yes Yes
2012–2013 Last Resort ABC Yes Yes Yes
2015–2016 Mad Dogs Amazon Prime Video No Yes Yes
2016–2017 The Get Down Netflix No No Yes
2016–2018 Timeless NBC Yes Yes Yes
2017–present S.W.A.T. CBS Yes Yes Yes
2023–present The Night Agent Netflix Yes Yes Yes

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Shawn Ryan". Allmovie. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Meyers, Lawrence (June 2, 2010). Inside the TV Writers' Room: Practical Advice for Succeeding in Television. Syracuse University Press. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-8156-3241-2.
  3. ^ "Pilots: 'The Shield' Creator Produces 'Contractor' for CBS". Zap2it.
  4. ^ "Confessions of a Contractor (News Section)". Retrieved November 27, 2010.
  5. ^ Goldberg, Lesley. "Shawn Ryan: Martin Scorsese Influenced 'The Chicago Code'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  6. ^ "Cathy Cahlin Ryan". TV Guide.
  7. ^ "Cathy Cahlin Ryan". TV.com.
  8. ^ "Shawn Ryan Bio". Yahoo! TV.

External links & further reading edit