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Kevin Wade
Kevin Wade
Kevin Wade
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Kevin Wade (born March 9, 1954) is an American screenwriter and television producer.[1]

Key Information

Early life and career

[edit]

Wade was born in Chappaqua, New York,[2] and attended Connecticut College. Before his writing career, Wade acted in two films for Mark Rappaport, including The Scenic Route (1978). He wrote the play Key Exchange,[3] which was produced off-Broadway in 1981[4] and released as a film in 1985.[3] Seven years later he received his first screen credit for Working Girl,[1] which earned him nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay. Additional film credits include True Colors,[1] Mr. Baseball,[1] Junior,[1] Meet Joe Black,[1] and Maid in Manhattan.[1]

For television, Wade created and executive produced the short-lived ABC drama series Cashmere Mafia. He also wrote the seven episodes that were broadcast by the network before the show was canceled. He joined the writing staff of the CBS drama Blue Bloods in its first season and has served as its executive producer/showrunner since the second season. He entered into an overall deal with CBS Studios in 2013.[5] In 2019 he was nominated for a Mystery Writers of America Edgar award for the episode “My Aim is True”.

Personal life

[edit]

Wade was married to actress Polly Draper from 1983 to 1988. He remarried Sasha Clifton in 1991 and they have two children together.

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Kevin Wade

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Kevin Wade (born March 9, 1954) is an American , , and best known for developing and serving as on the long-running police drama Blue Bloods, which aired for 14 seasons from 2010 to 2024, and for writing the screenplay for the 1988 Working Girl, which earned seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Born in , Wade graduated from before beginning his career in the theater with the Off-Broadway production of his play Key Exchange in 1981, which explored the dynamics of casual relationships and was later adapted into a 1985 film. His transition to in the 1980s led to successful Hollywood projects, including the scripts for True Colors (1991), a political thriller directed by ; Mr. Baseball (1992), a sports comedy starring ; Junior (1994), directed by and featuring ; (1998), a romantic fantasy remake starring ; and (2002), a with . In television, Wade created the short-lived ABC series Cashmere Mafia in 2008, a dramedy about ambitious women in , before achieving his greatest success with Blue Bloods, which he developed based on a concept by and and which became one of CBS's highest-rated shows, focusing on the Reagan family of police officers. Beyond film and television, Wade has written additional plays such as Mr. & Mrs. and Cruise Control, and in 2025, he published his debut novel, Johnny Careless, a crime story set on Long Island's North Shore.

Early life

Upbringing

Kevin Wade was born on March 9, 1954, in Chappaqua, New York. He spent his formative years in Chappaqua, a hamlet in Westchester County, New York. Wade is the son of Peter H. Wade, who served as president of Northern Westchester Hospital Center, and his wife. Wade's initial interest in performance emerged during adolescence through his role as an altar boy at a local church in Chappaqua, an experience that sparked his enjoyment of theatrical elements and public expression. He attended in Chappaqua, graduating with the class of 1972. This early exposure to performance laid the groundwork for his later pursuits in writing and theater, leading him to for formal .

Education

He attended in , enrolling after high school graduation and immersing himself in the campus environment during the early . By the end of his sophomore year, Wade became deeply involved in college theater, dedicating significant time to , which honed his understanding of and character dynamics. This extracurricular engagement shaped his artistic development and provided foundational skills for his future creative pursuits. Wade graduated from in 1976 with a . Wade has maintained a strong connection to his alma mater throughout his career. In recognition of his contributions and ongoing support, he was appointed an Emeritus Trustee of , a role that underscores his enduring commitment to the institution's mission and community.

Career

Theater work

Kevin Wade entered professional writing through the New York theater scene in the early 1980s, following his graduation from Connecticut College, where he developed an interest in dramatic arts. His debut play, Key Exchange, marked his breakthrough as a playwright, capturing the nuances of modern relationships among young urban professionals. Written in 1981 and premiered off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre on June 9, 1981, under the direction of Barnet Kellman, Key Exchange is a comedy set along a bicycle path in Central Park. The story revolves around three characters: Philip, an aspiring novelist in a casual affair with the photographer Lisa; and their mutual friend Michael, a copywriter whose recent marriage is strained by his wife's return from a solo trip. As the weekends unfold, Lisa proposes a "key exchange"—swapping apartment keys to signal commitment—highlighting tensions between romantic freedom and monogamy. The play's sharp dialogue and exploration of emotional ambiguity earned positive reviews for its honesty and humor, with The New York Times praising its "lovely writing" and avoidance of stereotypes in depicting affluent Manhattan singles. Time magazine described it as "tart, funny and tender, with an undertow of the erotic." The production transferred to a longer off-Broadway run, establishing Wade's reputation. It was adapted into a 1985 film directed by Barnet Kellman, starring Brooke Adams, Ben Masters, and Daniel Stern. Wade followed with Mr. & Mrs. in 1984, another WPA Theatre production directed by David Trainer, which examined the challenges of commitment for upwardly mobile young adults. The play centers on Sam Dawkins, a low-key portrait artist deeply in love with the ambitious network news anchor Blake Upton, as they navigate premarital dilemmas including "premarital " and the prospect of amid career pressures and family expectations. Though featuring witty observations on television culture and modern unions, critics found the plot clumsy and the characters initially stereotypical, deeming it less polished than Key Exchange. In 1985, Wade premiered at the WPA Theatre, a about marital stagnation and generational clashes. The narrative follows Billy and Linda, a couple in their mid-30s vacationing on a deserted mid-Atlantic island to revive their nine-year marriage—strained by Billy's failing beachfront bar—only to be disrupted by the younger, idealistic pair Suze and Rick. Reviewers commended the sympathetic portrayals and lively banter but noted a schematic structure and underdeveloped plot. The commercial success and film adaptation of Key Exchange, coupled with the thematic appeal of his plays to contemporary audiences, facilitated Wade's transition to screenwriting in Hollywood by the late 1980s.

Film screenplays

Kevin Wade's screenwriting career in feature films began with his breakthrough script for Working Girl (1988), a romantic comedy-drama directed by Mike Nichols that explored ambitious women navigating corporate hierarchies in 1980s New York. The film starred Sigourney Weaver as a cutthroat executive and Melanie Griffith as her resourceful secretary, with Harrison Ford in a supporting role, and was developed from Wade's original story about workplace dynamics inspired by his observations of Manhattan professionals. Produced on a $28 million budget, Working Girl achieved significant box office success, grossing $63.8 million domestically and $103 million worldwide, marking a pivotal entry for Wade into Hollywood after his earlier stage success with Key Exchange. Following this debut, Wade penned the screenplay for True Colors (1991), a directed by that examined the erosion of friendship amid ambition and corruption in Starring and as law school buddies on divergent ethical paths, the film drew on Wade's interest in moral dilemmas, earning praise for its tense character interplay despite mixed critical reception. Wade then co-wrote (1992) with Gary Ross and Monte Merrick, a fish-out-of-water comedy directed by featuring as an aging American slugger traded to a Japanese team, highlighting cultural clashes in professional sports. Wade's later film credits included co-writing Junior (1994) with Chris Conrad, a satirical directed by starring as a who becomes pregnant to test a drug, blending humor with themes of roles and scientific . He also contributed to the screenplay for Meet Joe Black (1998), a philosophical romance directed by and loosely adapted from Death Takes a Holiday, with as Death incarnate and as a media tycoon confronting mortality. In 2002, Wade wrote the screenplay for Maid in Manhattan, a directed by and starring as a mistaken for a , which grossed $154.9 million worldwide against a $35 million budget. Across these works, Wade consistently explored themes of personal ambition and interpersonal conflict in high-stakes environments, from corporate boardrooms in Working Girl to romantic mix-ups in Maid in Manhattan, often emphasizing resilience amid systemic pressures.

Television production

Kevin Wade's television career began in the late 2000s with the creation and executive production of the ABC drama series Cashmere Mafia, which premiered in 2008 and explored the lives of four ambitious female executives navigating personal and professional challenges in New York City. As the series' creator, Wade wrote two episodes before its cancellation. Wade developed the CBS police procedural Blue Bloods, based on a concept by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, joining as a writer during its inaugural 2010 season and assuming the roles of executive producer and showrunner starting with season 2 in 2011, positions he held through the series' conclusion after 14 seasons in 2024. Under his leadership, the show centered on the Reagan family—a multi-generational clan of New York Police Department members—emphasizing themes of loyalty, duty, and moral conflicts within law enforcement. Wade shaped key elements such as the weekly family dinner scenes, which served as a narrative anchor for discussing cases and personal tensions, fostering a sense of aspirational unity amid the pressures of policing in New York City. Throughout his tenure, Wade contributed to the writing of 25 episodes, including pivotal story arcs that highlighted family solidarity during crises like internal investigations and ethical dilemmas in the NYPD. Notable among these was the season 7 episode "," for which he received an Award nomination for best episodic teleplay, underscoring his focus on procedural authenticity intertwined with familial bonds. As , he oversaw the production of the remaining episodes across 293 total installments, ensuring consistent exploration of real-world policing issues while prioritizing the Reagans' interpersonal dynamics.

Literary debut

Kevin Wade marked his entry into prose fiction with the publication of his debut novel, Johnny Careless, on January 28, 2025, by Celadon Books. The crime novel centers on Police Chief Jeep Mullane, a former NYPD detective who returns to his hometown on Long Island's North Shore after a challenging case in the city, only to investigate the suspicious death of his childhood friend, the titular Johnny Careless, a dissolute socialite. As Mullane delves into the mystery, he navigates a web of theft, corruption, and family secrets involving Johnny's wealthy relatives and enigmatic ex-wife, exploring themes of small-town policing, personal redemption, and the tensions between urban and rural law enforcement dynamics. The novel draws inspiration from Wade's extensive experience as showrunner of the television series Blue Bloods, which he credits with shaping his understanding of police procedurals, while his two decades of personal life on Long Island's North Shore informed the authentic depiction of the region's affluent yet insular communities. This background allowed Wade to infuse the story with a procedural style honed over his long career in TV writing, transitioning from collaborative scripting to the solitary craft of novelistic narrative. Early reception praised Wade's seamless shift to book authorship, with reviewers highlighting the novel's fast-paced plotting, multi-dimensional characters, and emotional depth as hallmarks of his storytelling evolution. described it as a "splashy debut" and "stirring procedural," while noted its "haunting" quality that builds to a sense of redemption amid violence and misunderstanding. On , the book garnered a 3.9 out of 5 rating from over 1,000 readers, with many commending its unpredictable twists and vivid sense of place. Critics also appreciated how Wade differentiates the introspective prose from his screenwriting roots, emphasizing internal character motivations over dialogue-driven action.

Personal life

Marriage and divorce

Kevin Wade married actress on August 20, 1983. This union coincided with the early phase of his career in theater. The couple divorced in 1990. No children resulted from the marriage, and no specific impacts on Wade's personal or professional life during this period have been publicly documented. Following the divorce, Wade remarried Alexandra "Sasha" Clifton on November 23, 1991. There are no public details available regarding children from either marriage.

Residences and affiliations

Kevin Wade maintains primary residences in and on the North Shore of , specifically in Locust Valley, New York. These locations have provided a backdrop for his creative work, with the North Shore influencing the setting of his debut novel Johnny Careless, a crime story centered in that region. Wade holds an ongoing affiliation as an Trustee at , his , where he graduated in 1976. In this role, he has participated in events such as the 2023 opening of the Stark Center for the Performing Arts, contributing to discussions on theater and production.

Awards and nominations

Film recognitions

Kevin Wade's screenplay for the 1988 film marked a pivotal point in his career, earning widespread acclaim and establishing him as a prominent voice in Hollywood . The script's sharp wit and exploration of ambition in the corporate world contributed to the film's commercial and critical success, grossing over $100 million worldwide. For , Wade was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture at the in 1989, recognizing the originality and impact of his writing amid competition from films like Big and . He also received a nomination for the Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, highlighting his contributions to original cinematic storytelling. Although the film itself secured six Award nominations, including for Best Picture, Wade's screenplay received strong consideration but did not result in an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Wade's subsequent 1990s screenplays, such as True Colors (1991) and (1992), did not yield comparable award nominations, though they further solidified his reputation for crafting character-driven narratives in diverse genres.

Television honors

Kevin Wade received a nomination for the Edgar Award for Best Television Episode Teleplay in 2019 for his work on the Blue Bloods episode "," which aired during the show's ninth season. This recognition highlighted Wade's contributions to the procedural drama's storytelling, particularly in crafting a centered on dynamics and ethics within the Reagan family. As the longtime showrunner and executive producer of Blue Bloods, which spanned 14 seasons from 2010 to 2024 and became one of CBS's most enduring series, Wade's leadership contributed to the program's critical acclaim, though specific guild or critics' awards for seasons or episodes beyond the Edgar nomination were limited. Earlier in his television career, Wade created and executive produced the ABC series Cashmere Mafia in 2008, but it did not garner notable awards or nominations for writing or production.

References

  1. https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/shows/blue-bloods/talent/?view=kevin-wade
  2. https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kevin-wade/
  3. https://www.caa.com/entertainmenttalent/books/author/kevin-wade/
  4. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0905458/
  5. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kevin_wade
  6. https://crimereads.com/kevin-wade-on-five-novels-and-a-movie/
  7. https://www.celadonbooks.com/authors/kevin-wade/
  8. https://novelsalive.com/2025/01/28/star-review-johnny-careless-by-kevin-wade/
  9. https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/21/style/polly-carey-draper-is-bride.html
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/23/theater/acting-gave-me-the-self-confidence-to-write-dialogue.html
  11. https://www.nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=pt19720622-01.1.6
  12. https://www.conncoll.edu/career/activate/notable-alumni/
  13. https://www.conncoll.edu/at-a-glance/honor-code-shared-governance/board-of-trustees/trustees-emeriti/
  14. https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/59163
  15. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/15/movies/review-film-friendship-and-moral-disintegration-in-true-colors.html
  16. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/true-colors-1991
  17. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/02/movies/review-film-lessons-in-baseball-and-life-in-japan.html
  18. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/junior-1994
  19. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0259446/
  20. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0938567/
  21. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4180-kevin-wade?language=en-US
  22. https://www.tvinsider.com/1150372/blue-bloods-final-season-tom-selleck-frank-reagan-origin-story/
  23. https://deadline.com/2024/12/blue-bloods-finale-interview-kevin-wade-1236203098/
  24. https://celadonbooks.com/book/johnny-careless-kevin-wade/
  25. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211003834-johnny-careless
  26. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kevin-wade/johnny-careless/
  27. https://crimereads.com/kevin-wade-interview/
  28. https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250355102
  29. https://www.27east.com/arts/book-review-kevin-wades-crime-novel-johnny-careless-delves-into-the-world-of-small-town-police-work-2348719/
  30. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/draper-polly-1956
  31. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/24/style/j-k-wade-wed-to-miss-clifton.html
  32. https://www.liherald.com/stories/former-blue-bloods-writer-kevin-wade-authors-crime-novel%2C212714
  33. https://www.conncoll.edu/news/news-archive/2023/stark-center-opening/
  34. https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/working-girl
  35. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0905458/awards/
  36. https://mysterywriters.org/mwa-announces-the-2019-edgar-nominations/
  37. https://crimereads.com/announcing-the-2019-edgar-nominees/
  38. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1595859/awards/
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