Daniel Petrie Jr.
The screenwriter who defined the modern buddy-cop movie, injecting sharp comedy into action with 'Beverly Hills Cop'.
Born 1951 (age 75)·American film director·Birthday: November 30·Baby Boomers
Biography
Daniel Petrie Jr. didn't just write hit movies; he engineered a new kind of Hollywood chemistry. The son of director Daniel Petrie, he shot to fame in his early thirties by penning the screenplay for 'Beverly Hills Cop'. His genius was fusing the loose, streetwise energy of Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley with the rigid formalism of the Beverly Hills police department, creating a template for the action-comedy that dominated cinema for decades. He followed this by crafting 'Turner & Hooch', another high-concept buddy film, this time between a detective and a dog. Petrie later stepped into leadership, serving two terms as President of the Writers Guild of America, West, where he navigated the guild through critical negotiations. His career, spanning writing, producing, and guild politics, showcases a deep understanding of both creative mechanics and the business of storytelling.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Daniel was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daniel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Daniel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Wrote the screenplay for 'Beverly Hills Cop' (1984), a film that redefined the action-comedy and buddy-cop genres.
- Co-wrote the story for 'Turner & Hooch' (1989), creating another successful odd-couple partnership formula.
- Served two non-consecutive terms as President of the Writers Guild of America, West (1997-99, 2004-05).
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for 'Beverly Hills Cop'.
Did You Know?
He is the son of Canadian-American film and television director Daniel Petrie.
He began his career as a journalist for 'Sight and Sound' magazine and 'The Hollywood Reporter'.
He served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
He was an uncredited script doctor on the film 'The Big Easy' (1986).
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