The movie business is filled with unsung heroes. The two talented New Yorkers pictured above started their writing careers in 1970s television, helping to craft three of that era's defining sitcoms- "The Odd Couple", "Happy Days", and "Laverne & Shirley". When Ron Howard began his transition from Richie Cunningham to one of Hollywood's most sought-after directors, Ganz and Mandel were an essential part of that leap. The duo scripted "Night Shift" and "Splash", two of the most popular early '80s comedies, earning a Best Original Screenplay nomination for the latter. Would Tom Hanks and Michael Keaton be superstars without the Lowell/Mandel tandem? It's a valid question.
"Parenthood" is still one of the best movies of Howard's long, storied career, and it's sterling script attracted a red-hot Steve Martin among many others. Billy Crystal took notice, and quicky hired Ganz and Mandel to flesh out an idea he'd had in his head for years. The result was "City Slickers", 1991's hottest comedy, and three more Crystal collaborations followed- "Mr. Saturday Night", "City Slickers II", and "Forget Paris". The pair arguably peaked when Penny Marshall(Laverne) needed assistance in bringing the AAGPBL to the big screen. "A League of Their Own" is a much-loved sports film, and Hanks was an unstoppable force the moment he bellowed it's most famous line("There's no crying in baseball!!!"). The entertainment world needs more comedic minds like Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel.
Complete filmography(18 produced screenplays)- "Night Shift"(1982), "Splash"(1984), "Spies Like Us"(1985), "Gung Ho"(1986), "Vibes"(1988), "Parenthood"(1989), "City Slickers"(1991), "A League of Their Own"(1992), "Mr. Saturday Night"(1992), "Greedy"(1994), "City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold"(1994), "Forget Paris"(1995), "Multiplicity"(1996), "Edtv"(1999), "Where the Heart Is"(2000), "Robots"(2005), "Fever Pitch"(2005), "Tooth Fairy"(2010)
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