Literary agent turned screenwriter who scored with the Eddie Murphy box-office smash, "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984) and wrote the offbeat, steamy New Orleans-set thriller, "The Big Easy" (1986). Petrie began a second career as a producer with "Shoot to Kill" (1988) and made his directorial debut with the prep school drama, "Toy Soldiers" (1991). Son of director Daniel Petrie and producer Dorothea Petrie and brother of AFI-trained director Donald Petrie ("Mystic Pizza" 1988, "Grumpy Old Men" 1993).
Family
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Brother: Donald Mark Petrie.
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Father: Daniel Petrie, Sr.
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Mother: Dorothea Petrie.
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Sister: June Anne Petrie Battersby. twin of Mary Susan Petrie Lowen; former VP at MGM/UA
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Sister: Mary Susan Petrie Lowen. twin of of June Anne Petrie Battersby
Education
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University of Redlands, Redlands, California, psychology, BA, 1975
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Northfield-Mount Herman High School, Northfield, Massachusetts
Milestones
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1976 Began career in mailroom of ICM talent and literary agency; moved up to position of reader, then agent for writers and directors (date approximate)
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1981 Stopped working as agent to concentrate on screenwriting
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1984 First screenplay to be produced, Beverly Hills Cop
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1991 Directorial debut, Toy Soldiers
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Sold first screenplay, The Big Easy (filmed in 1986)
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Wrote first screenplay, The Expert , an AFI short film (directed by his brother Donald Petrie)