Before writing her debut novel Who Needs Paris?, Joan Meyerson had an extensive, award-winning career as a writer, producer, and director of documentaries and television programs.
One of her first Associate Producer credits was for the Academy Award-nominated documentary Say Goodbye. She was also honored with two Writers Guild of America Awards for Outstanding Script (nominated for a third). Other awards include the Cine Golden Eagle, Chris Plaque (Columbus Film Festival), Blue Ribbon (American Film and Video Festival), and Bronze medal (New York Film Festival).
Born in Los Angeles, Joan Meyerson graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She also studied at the University of Mexico and the Sorbonne in Paris. Returning home, she began graduate school back at Berkeley.
She found a summer job in LA as an Associate Producer on a TV Talk Show. The job was far different from her student life in the musty library stacks. At the end of summer, she applied for an honorary leave of absence from Berkeley.
She has yet to return.
Her love of documentaries, television, and writing came together at David L. Wolper Productions. Among her credits were the Academy Award-nominated Say Goodbye and the series Legends, Icons & Superstars of the 20th Century.
Her work evolved and diversified:
-- Children’s programming: a CBS pilot, TV animation, live-action and interactive game scripts.
-- French Television: programs about California that reflected the Golden State's reputation as a brave and entertaining new frontier.
-- Broadcast and cable TV: Produced/directed/wrote multiple episodes of ZooLife with Jack Hanna, The Hunt for Amazing Treasures, Painting with Elke Sommer, and Things That Go Bump.
-- Psychology Today magazine: Wrote/produced/directed The Pygmalion Effect, the top-selling management film of its year.
-- PBS: Writing/producing Michiyo and Kelly: A Quest for Education,Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire and the top-rated miniseries Walking the Bible.
-- National Memorial Day Concert: One of PBS’ top rated shows, Meyerson was honored to write for Gen. Colin Powell, as well as work with vets and military families, sharing their stories as portrayed by actors such as Laurence Fishburne, Dianne Wiest, Gary Sinise, Joe Mantegna, and Blythe Danner.
Her work has taken her on location throughout the U.S. and to Japan, Iwo Jima, Vietnam, Mexico, Guatemala, England,and the Netherlands.
Meyerson is a long-time member of the Writers Guild of America West, and served five terms on its Board of Directors.
Meyerson also served on Women in Film and International Documentary Association boards, and is a member of the Directors Guild of America.
Once a guest lecturer at UCLA and USC, moderating panels representing WGA, Writers Guild Foundation, and International Documentary Association, Meyerson is now active on panels about writing novels. Married to attorney Mark Meyerson, formerly Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs, at Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, they live in Valley Village with their Miniature Schnauzer, Jazz.