Shawn Ryan

Shawn Ryan (born October 11, 1966, Rockford, Illinois) is an American screenwriter and television producer best known as the creator and showrunner of the television series The Shield (2002–08) and The Chicago Code (2011). Ryan also co-created the ABC series Last Resort (2012–13), and produced The Unit (2006–09), Lie to Me (2009–10) and Terriers (2010).

Career

Shawn Ryan grew up in Rockford, Illinois. His mother is a schoolteacher and his father is a CPA. He said he had "a very good family upbringing" and was interested in 1970 sitcoms as a child. 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.