Amy Heckerling: Biography

Filmmaker Amy Heckerling received her practical training at the NYU film school and the American Film Institute. Serving her apprenticeship with five years' worth of limited-distribution short subjects, Heckerling's first feature-length effort was the surprise hit Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), which briefly typed her as a "youth market" director. After spending a year as producer of the TV spin-off of Ridgemont High, Heckerling directed Johnny Dangerously (1984), an uneven gangster spoof starring Michael Keaton. She has remained essentially a comedy director ever since, save for a few macabre pieces for TV's Twilight Zone series. Thus far, Heckerling's biggest box-office successes have been her brace of Look Who's Talking laughspinners, which she also co-wrote. Along with several other directors, Heckerling appeared on-camera in 1985's Into the Night, playing a ship's waitress. Amy Heckerling is married to writer/director Neal Israel (of Police Academy fame), who has acted in or co-written several of his wife's projects. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide