Guide Note

Joss Whedon is an Academy Award-nominated writer, director, and executive producer. He is best known for creating the hit TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and the cult favorite Firefly. His next television project is Dollhouse.

Fast Facts

1. Born: June 23, 1964
2. Where: New York City NY
3. Graduate: Wesleyan University
4. Wife: Kai Cole
5. Children: 2
6. Father: Tom Whedon (writer, Alice, Benson)
7. Grandfather: John Whedon (writer, Leave It to Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show)
8. Brother: Zack Whedon (writer, Deadwood, John from Cincinnati)

Whedon got his start writing for the television comedy Roseanne in 1989. His first produced screenplay was the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was reportedly bitterly disappointed at the changes that were made between the script and the screen, as he was with the filmed version of his script Alien Resurrection. His work on animated film Toy Story for Pixar met with critical acclaim and commercial success, and was nominated for an Academy Award. His animated film Titan A.E., on the other hand, was a disappointment at the box office.

The WB gave Whedon the chance to recreate Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the way he wanted it to be seen. Rather than remaking the film, Whedon set the premiere episode several months later, with the events of the film as Buffy's backstory. The quippy, action-packed show rapidly became a cult hit. It stayed on the air for seven seasons, and spawned the TV show Angel.

The FOX TV show Firefly, a science fiction show with a Western flavor and absolutely no aliens, was Whedon's next effort. FOX chose to air the episodes out of order, a problem for a show that was specifically scripted so that each episode would build on the events of the previous episode. The show did not gain traction and was canceled after 11 episodes, with FOX airing the first episode last. Firefly became a cult hit on DVD, and Universal took a gamble, producing the sequel film Serenity. Although it won a Hugo Award, it was not successful in theaters, although it again gained a cult following on DVD.