Richard Martini

Richard Martini (born 12 March 1955) is an award-winning American film director, producer, screenwriter and freelance journalist.

Early life and education

Martini was born in 1955 and grew up in Northbrook, Illinois. He attended local public schools. He graduated magna cum laude from Boston University with a degree in Humanities, attended University of Southern California Film School and is a 2008 graduate of the Master of Professional Writing Program at USC. His student short film, Lost Angels, was the film debut of fellow Chicago native, actress Daryl Hannah. He took improv classes at Second City in Chicago under Jo Forsberg, and with the Harvey Lembeck Workshop in Los Angeles.

His first documentary film, Special Olympians, won the top prize at the 1980 Mexico City International Film Festival. He made his feature film directorial debut with You Can't Hurry Love, which featured the debut of Bridget Fonda. TNT described it as the “quintessential 80’s comedy.”

Martini left USC to work for writer/director Robert Towne (Chinatown, Mission: Impossible); he served as an acting coach for Robert Evans on the original The Two Jakes. After that Martini wrote his first feature My Champion, which starred Christopher (son of Robert) Mitchum and Yoko Shimada (Shogun). He wrote the comedy Three For the Road for Vista Films, which starred Charlie Sheen.

Rich Martini

Richard William Martini (born November 19, 1955) is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for four seasons for the Oakland Raiders and one season for the New Orleans Saints. He played on special teams in the Raiders Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XV. Martini attended Boston College

Honors