This article is about the actor-director born in 1968; for the co-star of 77 Sunset Strip, see Edward Byrnes. For other people named Burns, see Burns (disambiguation).

Edward Burns Jr. (born January 29, 1968) is an American actor, producer, writer, and director.

Biography

Burns was born in Woodside, Queens, New York, as the second of three children in an Irish American family. He has a sister Mary and a brother Brian. He was raised in Valley Stream, New York, on Long Island, where he briefly attended Chaminade High School before transferring to Hewlett High School. His father was a police officer and his mother was a federal employee; both are now retired. After High school, Burns attended SUNY Oneonta, and SUNY Albany, before receiving a degree in English from Hunter College in 1992.

Burns got his start in the film industry right after college as a production assistant on the Oliver Stone film, The Doors. While working as a gofer at Entertainment Tonight, he financed, produced, directed and starred in his first film The Brothers McMullen in his spare time. Once he completed the film, he got a copy to Robert Redford during an appearance he made at ET.

In 2001, Burns wrote, directed and starred in the ensemble drama Sidewalks of New York.

Burns is known for his acting work on movies such as Saving Private Ryan, Confidence and Life or Something Like It.

Looking For Kitty (2004), which Burns wrote, directed and starred in, was shot with a hand held $3,000 digital Panasonic AG-DVX100 camera with a Mini35 adapter. The film's entire budget was $200,000 and was filmed in New York City with a tiny crew and without standard permits. Burns discussed this unusual film-making process in the director's commentary on the DVD and wrote in the Director's Letter "If you are an aspiring filmmaker, in this day of inflating budgets and runaway production, the truth is you can make a movie for no money in New York...and have a blast."

His younger brother Brian Burns is a TV producer and he and Edward own their own production company called 'Irish Twins'.

Burns has been married to supermodel Christy Turlington since June 7, 2003; their daughter Grace was born in October 2003 and their son Finn in February 2006.

Ed Burns began a string of guest appearances on the HBO original series Entourage mid-way through season 3. Burns plays himself and is writing a new TV series which Johnny Drama is able to land a part in.

In 2007 it was announced that Burns plans to partner with Virgin Comics to create a series entitled Dock Walloper.[1] Burns plans to use the comic series as a springboard to a film of the same story.

References

External links

• Edward Burns at the Internet Movie Database