Editing Jon Hurwitz

{{Short description|American screenwriter and director}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Jon Hurwitz
| image              = Jon Hurwitz (2).jpg
| alt                = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption            = Hurwitz at the ''American Reunion''<br />premiere in 2012
| birth_name         = Jonathan Benjamin Hurwitz
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1977|11|15}}
| birth_place        = [[Byram, New Jersey]], U.S.<ref name="byram">{{cite tweet |last=Hurwitz |first=Jon |user=jonhurwitz |number=1300635340869255169 |date=August 31, 2020 |title=Nice to hear from a Randolphian. I was born in Byram, NJ, but only lived there 2 years. Then lived in Roxbury for 5 years. Then a town called Upper St. Clair, outside of Pittsburgh for 7 years. Then to Randolph. Loved my high school years in Randolph. }}</ref>
| alma_mater         = University of Pennsylvania
| occupation         = Screenwriter, director, producer
| years_active       = 
| known_for          = ''[[Cobra Kai]]''<br />''[[Harold & Kumar]]''
| spouse             = {{marriage|Randy Hurwitz|2007}}
| children           = 2
}}

'''Jonathan Benjamin Hurwitz''' (born November 15, 1977) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer best known for his work on ''[[Cobra Kai]]'' (with [[Hayden Schlossberg]] and [[Josh Heald]]), the ''[[Harold & Kumar]]'' films, and ''[[American Reunion]]'' (with Schlossberg).

== Early life ==
Hurwitz was born in [[Byram, New Jersey|Byram]], [[New Jersey]],<ref name="byram" /> to [[Jewish]] parents.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/102807/schlossberg-hurwitz-create-a-heartfelt-reunion-of-raunch/|title = Schlossberg, Hurwitz Create a Heartfelt 'Reunion' of Raunch|date = April 4, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jul-29-wk-movies29-story.html|title = The real smart kids| website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date = July 29, 2004}}</ref> and lived there for two years. He then moved to [[Roxbury, New Jersey|Roxbury]] for 5 years, although following that he grew up mostly in [[Upper St. Clair Township, Pennsylvania]] and [[Randolph, New Jersey]].<ref name="byram" /> He met [[Hayden Schlossberg]] when they both attended [[Randolph High School (New Jersey)|Randolph High School]].

Hurwitz was studying finance at the [[University of Pennsylvania]], with [[Josh Heald]] who lived in the same dorm with him during freshman year.<ref name=wax>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pfeifferlaw.com/entertainment-law-blog/wax-on-wax-off
|title=Wax On, Wax Off (Interview)
|accessdate=November 16, 2022
|last=
|first=
|date= April 24, 2019
|publisher= The Creative Influencer Podcast, PFIEFFER Law
}}</ref> As Schlossberg (who was in college at The University of Chicago) frequently came to visit, he got to know Heald as well.<ref name=wax/>

== Career ==
Hurwitz was studying finance at the [[University of Pennsylvania]], while Schlossberg was a history major at the [[University of Chicago]] with plans of attending law school. It was during this time that they sold their first script ''Filthy'' to MGM. Upon selling ''Filthy'', they moved to Hollywood to begin their career in the entertainment industry.<ref>Cahillane, Kevin. [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/15/nyregion/homegrown-a-stoner-comedy-straight-out-of-randolph.html "Homegrown: A Stoner Comedy Straight Out of Randolph"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', August 15, 2004. Accessed September 21, 2015. "Mr. Hurwitz and Mr. Schlossberg say their inspiration came straight out of Randolph. 'The high school we went to had a lot of Indian and Asian kids,' said Mr. Schlossberg, who graduated from Randolph High in Morris County in 1996, as did Mr. Hurwitz."</ref>

The idea for the first ''Harold and Kumar'' film, ''[[Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle]]'' developed while they were living in Los Angeles. Hurwitz and Schlossberg decided to write a low-budget stoner film and base the main characters on their high school friends from [[Randolph High School (New Jersey)|Randolph High School]]. They based the character of Harold on their real-life friend Harold Lee. Hurwitz got the idea to base the film around White Castle from his own experience craving White Castle burgers when he lived in [[Pennsylvania]] for several years. At the time, Pennsylvania did not have any White Castle locations and Hurwitz had to have family members bring him frozen White Castle burgers from New Jersey.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Vespe|first1=Eric|title=Quint interviews HAROLD AND KUMAR writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg about Doogie and Battlesh!ts!!!|url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/17996|publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]]|date=July 20, 2004}}</ref> It was later followed by ''[[Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay]]'' and ''[[A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas]]''. They also wrote and directed the fourth theatrical entry in the ''[[American Pie (series)|American Pie]]'' franchise, writing and directing ''[[American Reunion]]'' (2012).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://riskybusiness.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/04/01/harold-kumar-creators-to-direct-american-pie-4-exclusive |title='Harold & Kumar' creators to direct 'American Pie 4′ (exclusive) |access-date=July 1, 2010 |archive-date=June 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607221950/http://riskybusiness.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/04/01/harold-kumar-creators-to-direct-american-pie-4-exclusive/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2015, the trio signed a deal with Lionsgate.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Friedlander|first=Whitney|date=November 19, 2015|title=Hurwitz & Schlossberg Sign First-Look Deal With Lionsgate|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/hurwitz-schlossberg-first-look-lionsgate-1201644572/|access-date=December 31, 2020|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>

They currently work on ''[[Cobra Kai]]'', a continuation of ''[[The Karate Kid (franchise)|The Karate Kid]]'' franchise. Hurwitz & Schlossberg created the show, along with their close friend [[Josh Heald]]. The trio serve as executive producers, show runners, writers, and directors on the series.<ref name=fuller>{{cite web
|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cobra-kai-how-fuller-house-inspired-karate-kid-tv-sequel-1106225
|title=The Inside Story of How 'Fuller House' Inspired 'Karate Kid' Sequel 'Cobra Kai' (Guest Column)
|accessdate=November 13, 2019
|last=Heald
|first=Josh
|date=May 1, 2018
|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]
}}</ref> As of 2021, he and his friend Hayden Schlossberg, along with Josh Heald via Counterbalance Entertainment has signed a deal with [[Sony Pictures Television]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=September 9, 2021|title='Cobra Kai' Creators Re-Up Overall Deal With Sony Pictures TV For Their Counterbalance Entertainment, Set Comedy 'The Prince' With Writer Zora Bikangaga|url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/cobra-kai-creators-jon-hurwitz-hayden-schlossberg-and-josh-heald-re-up-overall-deal-sony-pictures-tv-counterbalance-entertainment-the-prince-with-zora-bikangaga-1234829276/|access-date=September 11, 2021|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Writer
! Producer
! class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle]]'' || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 2008 || ''[[Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{yes|co-producer}} ||
|-
|''Harold & Kumar Go to Amsterdam'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{no}} || short film
|-
|2011 ||''[[A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas]]'' ||{{no}} ||{{yes}} ||{{yes|co-producer}} ||
|-
|2012 ||''[[American Reunion]]'' || {{yes}} ||{{yes}} || {{no}} ||
|-
|2018 || ''[[Blockers (film)|Blockers]]'' || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} ||
|-
|2018−2025 || ''[[Cobra Kai]]'' ||{{yes}} ||{{yes}} ||{{partial|Executive}} ||Also co-creator
|-
| 2021 || ''[[Plan B (2021 film)|Plan B]]'' || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} ||
|-
| 2023|| ''[[Obliterated]]'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 
|}

== See also ==
*[[Hayden Schlossberg]]
*[[Josh Heald]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb name|1375358}}
* {{Twitter|jonhurwitz}}

{{Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hurwitz, Jon}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Jewish American screenwriters]]
[[Category:American male screenwriters]]
[[Category:American comedy film directors]]
[[Category:Writers from Morristown, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:People from Randolph, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Randolph High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
[[Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from New Jersey]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]