Kanbar Institute of Film & Television
Courses
Advanced Production
Developing the Screenplay
Directing the Camera
Education
Honorary Degree - University of South Carolina
Biography
Mr. Benson made his Broadway debut, starring in Zelda at age 12. Other Broadway credits include The Rothschilds and Pirates of Penzance. Starring film credits include Jeremy, Lucky Lady, Ode to Billie Joe, One on One (which he co-wrote), Ice Castles, Walk Proud, Tribute, The Chosen, Running Brave, Harry and Son, Modern Love (writer, producer, director), and the voice of Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the only animated feature ever to receive a Best Picture Academy Award Nomination. TV credits include Death Be Not Proud and Our Town. Mr. Benson has directed over 100 episodes of sitcoms from Friends to an entire season of Ellen. Mr. Benson was the first director in North America to shoot a feature film (White Hot) in High-Definition. He has composed scores for films and has received two gold records for songwriting. Mr. Benson has Executive Produced/Directed both primetime Sitcoms and Primetime Dramas. Mr. Benson recently sold his novel Who Stole the Funny? to HarperCollins for a fall 2007 release. Mr. Benson has been a presenter for The Academy Awards and The Golden Globe Awards. He has also judged and presented at The Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Student Academy Awards. Recently he was a judge and presenter at The Asheville Film Festival. The Pensacola Film Festival is planning a retrospective of Mr. Benson’s work in the fall of 2006. A gifted teacher, Mr. Benson has been a Professor in the Film and Theatre Departments at several Universities over the past 20 years.
