Jack Epps Jr.

Jack Epps Jr. (born November 3, 1949) is an American screenwriter, author, and educator, known chiefly for such popular 1980s films as Top Gun,^[1] Legal Eagles, and The Secret of My Success, which he wrote with longtime partner Jim Cash. Epps Jr. graduated from the College of Arts and Letters at Michigan State University, and he has since gone on to teach at the University of Southern California.^[2]

Jack Epps Jr.
Born	(1949-11-03) November 3, 1949 (age 76) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Alma mater	Michigan State University
Occupations	Screenwriter, author, educator
Known for	Co-writer of Top Gun, Legal Eagles, The Secret of My Success

Career

Jack Epps, Jr. began his career in the film industry after studying at Michigan State University, where he made his first student film. Upon arriving in California, he collaborated with Anderson House to write episodes for Hawaii Five-O ("The Capsule Kidnapping," 1976) and Kojak ("A Hair-Trigger Away," 1976).^[3] In 1975, Epps worked as an Assistant Cameraman with cinematographer Gary Graver on Orson Welles' film The Other Side of the Wind.^[4] After House left to pursue producing, Epps partnered with Jim Cash.^[5] Together, they wrote Izzy and Moe, which was optioned by Bud Yorkin. Their screenplay Whereabouts gained the attention of director John Landis, although after Landis left the project, they reworked Dick Tracy for several directors, including Warren Beatty.^[6][7]

Epps and Cash achieved significant success with their screenplay for Top Gun, which became a worldwide box office hit in 1986. The duo later wrote Legal Eagles and The Secret of My Success, both released in 1986. Epps has been involved in numerous projects, collaborating with prominent figures in the industry and contributing to various genres, including action and comedy.^[6]

Top Gun

After completing seven unproduced screenplays together, Top Gun became Epps and Cash's first produced screenplay. This film went on to become the number-one worldwide box office hit in 1986.^[8] Jack Epps, Jr. did original research for the screenplay to Top Gun by traveling to NAS Miramar and flew in the back seat in a F5F Navy jet and experienced dog fighting and high speed passes. In addition, he flew in the back seat of a Navy jet during the Top Gun School Graduation where the US Air Force acted as the aggressor squadron and the Top Gun graduates defended their territory.  Epps experienced high speed dogfights over the Mojave Desert near NAWS China Lake^[9] US Navy provided Epps with a technical advisor, Commander Peter Pettigrew, Mig-Killer and former Top Gun Instructor, to help Epps research Top Gun program.  

Later success

After this, they quickly wrote other screenplays that were produced, including Legal Eagles and The Secret of My Success. Epps has co-authored over 25 screenplays and eight motion pictures that he produced well into the following decade, including Turner & Hooch, Dick Tracy, and Anaconda.^[10] He wrote for some of the most successful actors in the industry including Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, Warren Beatty and others.

Teaching

Jack Epps Jr. is a full professor and Chair of the Writing for Screen and Television Division in the School of Cinematic Arts, at the University of Southern California.^[11][12] Using techniques he had developed over his career and applied to classes, he authored a screenwriting manual, Screenwriting is Rewriting: The Art and Craft of Professional Revision, in 2016.^[13]

Awards and honors

Jack Epps Jr. was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine arts by Michigan State University at their 2009 commencement. He is also the recipient of the Michigan State University Spartans in Hollywood Award.^[14] He is part of the Writers Guild of America where he has been a member for three decades and he is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.^[15] In 2010, Epps was named the inaugural holder of the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Endowed Chair in Comedy at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. This position honors Jack Oakie’s legacy and supports the academic study of comedy.^[16] The film Top Gun, co-written by Epps, was added to the National Film Registry. Additionally, the American Film Institute (AFI) included the quote “I feel the need… the need for speed” as one of the top 100 movie quotes in American cinema.^[17][18]

Filmography

• Hawaii Five-O (1976) (TV)
• Kojak (1976) (TV)
• Dangerously (with Jim Cash) (1978) (unproduced)
• Whereabouts (with Jim Cash) (1984) (unproduced)
• Pigs vs. Freaks (with Gordon T. Dawson) (1984) (TV)
• Izzy and Moe (with Jim Cash, Steven Patrick Bell and Robert Boris) (1985) (TV) (story only)
• Top Gun (with Jim Cash) (1986)
• Legal Eagles (with Jim Cash) (1986)
• The Secret of My Success (with Jim Cash and A.J. Carothers) (1987)
• Turner & Hooch (with Jim Cash, Dennis Shryack, Michael Blodgett, and Daniel Petrie Jr.) (1989)
• Dick Tracy (with Jim Cash) (1990)
• Anaconda (with Jim Cash and Hans Bauer) (1997) (producer)
• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (with Jim Cash, Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont) (2000)
• Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (with Jim Cash and Hans Bauer) (2004) (story and elements from the original Anaconda script)^[1]
• Top Gun: Maverick (based on characters created with Jim Cash) (2022) (story only) (screenplay from the film Top Gun)