I did post-graduated work at UCLA's film school and dropped out in 1971 when my comedic screenplay Doc placed first in the Samuel Goldwyn Creative Writing Competition. I then spent two years at Wolper Productions, developing documentaries.
For thirty years I have been a freelance writer, scripting nine movies for television, including Proud Men starring Charlton Heston and Peter Strauss, and Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story. I was a writer on the award-winning animation series, The Kids' Ten Commandments, and wroted the theatrical film adaptation of The Jeweler's Shop from a play by the late Pope John-Paul II.
I have consulted on numerous projects to bring stories from conception to the screen. I have edited and ghostwritten a variety of articles and books, fiction and non-fiction, and have authored three crime novels.
~
The scene with Peter Strauss
on the bucking horse had a lot of armchair cowboys saying
that no bronc would push a man through the rafters of a
barn, but I described the action in the script based on
the experiences of my grandfather, Tom Harney, who along
with his brothers were known for their skills at breaking
horses and had the broken bones to prove it.
If you listen very, very carefully to
the above, you hear the voice of the boat’s tour guide
give a series of unrelated minutia regarding Paris, such
as the number of kilometers the surface of the Seine is
from the sidewalk. I call this “The Andrus Touch.”
ANIMATION
A Life and Seth
Situation ~ Episode 3 of The Kids' Ten
Commandments,
a musical drama series presented by TLC Entertainment
in association with SMEC Media and Richcrest
Entertainment. Created and produced by George Taweel
and Rob Loos; celebrity voices by Peter Strauss and
Lou Diamond Phillips; lyrics by Pamela Phillips Oland,
music by James Covell. Released in five installments
from February 2003 to October when it became available
as a boxed gift set in video and DVD formats.
BOOKS
Malibu Palms
~
Booksurge, 2009. Ecology,
religion and sexual addiction background the short,
sweet life of actress Cindy Korbell. On the day Cindy
goes missing, her dialogue coach, Andrea Lawless,
makes a play for a poolside drunk. When Cindy is
discovered drowned, Andrea uses the liaison to alibi
her time. The drunk is Charlie Clement, a boat
handyman who survives life's knocks with low cunning,
subdued rage and wicked humor. He is married to a
comatose wife, random victim of a drive-by shooting.
Trying to understand the ruins of his own life compels
Charlie into wanting to know everything about Cindy's.
He doesn't count on sobering up or becoming targeted
for murder himself, both of which are child's play to
falling head over heels for Patricia Diaz, a
deliciously desirable Catholic who forces Charlie to
face his own conscience.
The Courage To Be
Brilliant ~ Collaboration with human resources
consultant Marta Monahan for Vittorio Media, Inc.
Hardcover printed in 2000 ("The hottest book of the
summer:" John Tesh) and revised as paperback with new
material in 2002 ("If you are tired of mediocrity and
want to break out, this is the book for you:" Nelkane
Benton, KABC Radio).
Neighborhood Watch
~ Sequel to
Tracer,
Inc.;
Scribner, Suzanne Kirk editor. "...combining family
cuteness with sociopathic slaughter is tricky, but
(Andrus) makes it work, creating a credible mystery
with plenty of good laughs:" Publishers Weekly, March
1996.
Tracer, Inc.
~ Mystery novel published
by Scribner, New York. "(Andrus is) a rising star:"
San Diego Union-Tribune, December 31, 1994.
CABLE
As Summers Die
~ Co-written adaptation of novel by
Winston Groom set in the segregated South of the
1950s, involving oil, murder and a mixed-race love
affair. Starred Scott Glen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bette
Davis and Bea Richards. Presented by Telepictures
& Chris-Rose Productions as a Home Box Office
movie; Frank Konigsberg, Larry Sanitsky, Bob
Christianson and Rick Rosenberg producers; directed by
Jean-Claude Tramont. Screenplay nominated for 1986
Award in Cable Excellence. Vido selected for archives
in the trial and legal themes film collection of the
Southwestern University Law Library.
EDITING
I've edited
some technical articles that appeared in professional
journals and three books that didn't appear anywhere. I
got lucky with the fourth, The Gods Of Business: The Intersection
Of Faith In The Marketplace
by my friend, Dr. Todd
Albertson, published by Trinity Alumni Press, 2007.
Based on his PhD. thesis, The Gods Of Business
is a "Michelin Guide" of
the world's major religions and how they affect
commercial intercourse.
FEATURE FILM
The Jeweler's Shop
~ World War II love story adapted
from a play by Pope John Paul II for PAC Rome, IMP
Paris and Alliance Montreal; Mario di Nardo, Mario
Bregni and Philippe Rebboah producers. Theatrical
release starred Burt Lancaster, Olivia Hussey and Ben
Cross; directed by Michael Anderson. In 1992
screenplay received certificate of merit awarded by
Southern California Motion Picture Council.
MOVIES FOR
TELEVISION
Children Of The Dark
~ Co-written fact-based
drama about the fear and persecution besetting a
family whose daughters have a rare genetic disorder
that makes sunlight deadly. Starred Tracy Pollen and
Peter Horton. Presented by Multimedia Productions for
CBS Television; Steve Krantz and Tony Etz producers;
directed by Michael Switzer. Aired April 17, 1994.
Separated By Murder
~ Co-written true crime drama about
the murder of an Alabama ophthalmologist, starring
Sharon Gless playing twin sisters. Presented by the
Larry A. Thompson Organization for CBS; Larry Thompson
and Paulette Breen producers; directed by Donald
Wright. Aired 12, 1994.
Men Don't Tell
~ Co-written drama about a battered
husband, starring Judith Light and Peter Strauss.
Presented by Lorimar Television for CBS; produced by
Nancy Bein; directed by Harry Winer. Drew third
highest rating for TV movie during 1993 spring season.
Miles From Nowhere
~ Co-written coming of
age story about a son trying to break away from an
overbearing father. Starred Rick Shroder, James
Farentino, Marlyn Mason and Malora Hardin. Presented
by New World Entertainment and The Sokolow Company for
CBS; Mel and Diane Sokolow producers; directed by Buzz
Kulik. Winner of 1993 Christopher Award.
Triumph Of The Heart: The Ricky Bell
Story ~
Drama based on the last years of USC football great
and Tampa Bay star Ricky Bell, starring Mario Van
Peebles, Lane Davis, Susan Ruttan and Lynn Whitfield.
Presented by The Landsburg Company for CBS; Alan
Landsburg, David Permut and Daniel Levy producers;
directed by Richard Michaels. Screenplay was selected
for nation-wide high school reading program in 1991.
The Fatal Image
~ A mother and daughter
on vacation in Paris accidently photograph a murder
and are pursued by the killers. The suspense-thriller
starred Michele Lee and Justine Batemen, and was
co-written with French writer Aaron Barzman for an
international co-production presented by Hearst
Entertainment and Canal Plus; Gerry Abrams, Harry
Chandler and Simon Hart producers; directed by Tom
Wright. Premeired on CBS in 1989.
Proud Men ~ Modern western about the
reconcilliation of an estranged son and a father who
is dying, starring Charlton Heston, Peter Strauss,
Alan Autry and Nan Marti. Presented by Agamemnon Films
and Von Zernick-Samuels for ABC; Stu Samuels, Fraser
Heston and Robert Sertner producers; directed by
William Graham. Judith Crist of TV Guide called it "a
finely realized drama," listing it among the
magazine's ten best movies of 1987. Screeplay one of
three nominees for Humanitas Prize.
Altogether Now
~ Co-written true story
about orphaned children fighting authorities to make
their eldest brother their guardian, starring John
Rubibstein, Adam Arkin and Helen Hunt. Presented by
RSO Films in 1975 for ABC; Diane Barclay producer;
directed by Randal Kleiser.
RADIO
Sitmar Cruises
~ 1986 spot for Foote, Cone
& Belding.
KRKC ~ Weekend news copy and broadcast
announcing, 1962-66.
SERIES FOR
TELEVISION
Moloney ~ Story re-write and original story
sale for 1997-98 CBS series, staring Peter Strauss as
a police psychologist; executive producer for Tri
Star, David Jacobs. I was offered a staff position,
but then the series was cancelled.
The Thomas Edison Story ~ Docu-drama segment of
True Tales
pilot for children's series.
Produced by NBC Productions and The Manheim Company;
Michael Manheim and Eda Hallinan producers. “Andrus has
written an excellent example of this kind of script. A
solid story with a twist at the end:" Brandon Tartikoff,
President, NBC Entertainment Division, 1991.
The Assassin
~ Co-written episode of
ABC's Kung
Fu series,
starring David Carradine. Jerry Thorpe produced for
Warner Brothers; directed by Richard Lang. Broadcast
October 4, 1973.
Wolper Productions
~ Staff writer from
1972-74, Warren Bush and Christine Foster supervisors.
Team development of series and specials, among
them Primal
Man, Judgment, Chief Joseph and The First Woman
President.
SHORT SUBJECT
The Proverb ~ Ten-minute mockumentary of
contemporary journalism and religiostity, lampooning
both as serious in form only. Produced and directed by
Todd Albertson; DP Nick Rivera; starring Scott Waara,
Nancy Stafford, Lauren E. Roman, Christopher Prizzi
and Anna Michelle Wang. Winnder of the 2004 Gold Award
at 168-hour Film Festival. In 2006 The Proverb
was the first English
language film of any length to take Grand Prize at
the Spirituality Film
Festival in
Calcutta.
TECHNICAL
Triumph Fabrics
~ Promotion introducing
geo-textiles distributor to southern California, 1989.
Reardon
Construction ~ Human
resources and quality control procedures for bid
submission to Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, 1988.
Gama Direct
Marketing ~ Mailer
copy for SMA financial software, 1987.
OTHER
www.jeffandrus.com
"A funny man. Check out his
site:" Hugh Hewitt, KRLA Smart Talk Radio, 2002.
The Tenth Pint
~ 1985 article about blood
donation for The
Rustler that won
First Place, Features Category, California Publishers
Association Better Newspaper Awards.
Appendicitis Sure As
Shootin' ~ 1984
"Guest Artist," World's Word, literary journal of World
Bank.
Doc
~ First place,
Samuel Goldwyn Creative Writing
award,
1972.