Michael Scott (film director)

American film director and film producer

Michael Scott

Born| (born 1955)[1]
Nationality| American
Alma mater| Occidental College
Occupations|

* Director
* producer
* documentary filmmaker

Years active| 1983–present
Known for|

* Dangerous Lies (2020 film)
* Cedar Cove
* Trading Christmas
* The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Relatives| Winston M. Scott (father)

Michael Scott (born 1955) is an American film director, producer and documentary filmmaker.[2][3] He is best known as producer and film director for Dangerous Lies (2020 film),[4][5][6] Cedar Cove (2013),[7] Trading Christmas (2011),[8]The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2008)[9] and other films.[10][11]

## Background[edit]

Michael M. Scott was raised in Mexico City, Mexico, the adopted son of Winston Scott, a U.S. intelligence officer, and Paula Maev Scott, a native of Ireland.[1][12] His father, Winston M. Scott (Winston Mackinley Scott) worked for the CIA during the Cold War in Mexico.[13][14] In 1970, Michael and his brother George were sent to Connecticut. From 1970 – 1973, Michael Scott was a student at Taft School, a preparatory private school in Watertown, Connecticut.[1] Michael Scott is a graduate of the Occidental College.[15]

## Filmmaking career[edit]

While still an undergraduate at Occidental College in 1975, Scott interviewed Clarence Carnes, an inmate who had done time on Alcatraz and was known to be the youngest inmate in the Federal prison. The interview resulted in documentary aired later on PBS.[16] In 1980s, Scott began to work with Dave Bell Associates production company, where he produced HBO’s “Decoys,” a documentary about undercover cops in New York City.[16][17] Scott made his directorial and writing debut with 1983's One Man's Fight for Life, – a story about a school teacher struggling with lung cancer.[16]

Scott is credited as director and executive producer of the Netflix movie Dangerous Lies (2020 film) that premiered on May 30, 2020. In October 2020, the film was nominated for People's Choice Awards in the drama movie category.[18][19] Scott’s long term relationship with writer David Golden resulted in the spec thriller being picked up as a Netflix Original.[20][21] Since 1983, Michael Scott has worked with a number of production and entertainment companies including Crown Media, Hallmark Channel, PBS, HBO, Netflix and more.[16] Overall, Scott has over fifty credits as director and producer.[10][22]

## Michael Scott vs CIA[edit]

Scott’s father, Winston M. Scott, wrote a manuscript about his life titled, "It Came To Little" which was confiscated by James Jesus Angleton, the CIA's counter intelligence chief, shortly after Winston Scott’s death in 1971.[2] The manuscript became the object of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that was denied, resulting in a lawsuit filed by Michael Scott (Scott vs CIA). A settlement with the CIA was reached in 1996.[1] Later, Jefferson Morley, a veteran Washington journalist, collaborated with Scott and wrote "Our Man in Mexico", a biography of Winston M. Scott and CIA's operations in Mexico during the Cold War.[1][13][23]

## Filmography[edit]

Year  | Title  | Credit  | Notes

|
|
|

2020  | Dangerous Lies (2020 film) | Director/Producer  | (TV movie) (as Michael Scott)
(Nominated for People's Choice Awards)[6]
2016  | Second Sight | Director/Producer  | (TV movie) (as Michael Scott)[24]
2014  | Heavenly Match | Director/Executive Producer  | (TV movie)
(as Michael Scott)[25]
2014  | Run for Your Life | Director  | (TV movie)
(as Michael Scott)[26]
2014  | Apple Mortgage Cake | Director/Producer  | (TV movie)
2013  | Cedar Cove | Director/Executive Producer  | (TV Movie/2 hour series pilot)[27][28]
2012  | Hitched for the Holidays | Director//Executive Producer  | (TV movie)
2011  | Trading Christmas | Director/Executive Producer  | (TV movie)
2008  | The Most Wonderful Time of the Year | Director/Executive Producer  | (TV movie)
2006  | Murder on Pleasant Drive | Director/Co-executive Producer  | (TV movie)
(as Michael Scott)
2004  | Deadly Visions | Director  | TV movie[29]
1999  | The Soul Collector | Director  | TV movie[30]

## See also[edit]

* List of Hallmark Channel Original Movies
* List of Cedar Cove episodes

## External links[edit]

* Michael Scott on IMDb

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "The Spy Who Loved Him". The Washington Post (1996).
2. ^ a b "The Spy Who Loved Me: Michael Scott believes a manuscript by his secret agent father is the key to his past. But the CIA says releasing it—and the secrets it holds—is too risky". LA Times.
3. ^ "FILM REVIEW: DANGEROUS LIES". Slug Mag. 30 April 2020.
4. ^ "Dangerous Lies' holds back the truth about who can be trusted". Chicago Sun Times. 30 April 2020.
5. ^ "Dangerous Lies". Roger Ebert Reviews.
6. ^ a b "See all the nominees for the 2020 People's Choice Awards". USA Today.
7. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (19 July 2013). "Dialing Down the Adrenaline in a town with a laid-back judge". The New York Times.
8. ^ Hinckley, David (25 November 2011). "Hallmark's 'Trading Christmas' does a good job telling Debbie Macomber holiday tale". New York Daily News. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
9. ^ "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year". Dove reviews.
10. ^ a b "Michael Scott filmography". IMDb.
11. ^ "Michael M. Scott". BFI. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020.
12. ^ "Winston Scott". Spartacus Educational.
13. ^ a b Silverstein, Ken (17 April 2008). "Harper's Magazine". Six Questions for Jefferson Morley on Our Man in Mexico. `{{cite magazine}}`: Cite magazine requires `|magazine=` (help)
14. ^ "Our Man in Mexico Winston Scott and the Hidden History of the CIA". University Press of Kansas.
15. ^ "About George Leddy and his family". Agricanto.
16. ^ a b c d "Bridal Wave Bios" (PDF). Hallmark.
17. ^ "DECOYS (TV) Summary and credits". The Paley Center for Media.
18. ^ "E! People's Choice Awards Nominees List: 'The Old Guard', 'Birds Of Prey' Among Honorees". Deadline. October 2020.
19. ^ "2020 People's Choice Awards: Complete List of Nominees". EonLine. 15 November 2020.
20. ^ "There Are DANGEROUS LIES in Latest Netflix Thriller". Nightmarish conjurings. 13 April 2020.
21. ^ "Netflix's 'Dangerous Lies' offers a small thrill or two to help pass the time – Streaming movie review". The News Herald.
22. ^ "Michael Scott". TV Guide.
23. ^ "Assassination Archives & Research Center v. CIA, 48 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 1999)". Justia Law.
24. ^ "Tatyana Ali headlines TV One's original thriller 'Second Sight' premiering April 23". The Philadelphia Sunday Sun. 22 April 2016.
25. ^ "Heavenly Match". The Christian Film Review. 8 November 2017.
26. ^ "Life or a Half-Life". The movie scene.
27. ^ "Cedar Cove". TV Guide.
28. ^ "Hallmark Channel Reaffirms Series Order To 'Cedar Cove' Starring Andie MacDowell". Yahoo Entertainment.
29. ^ "Deadly Visions". Radio Times.
30. ^ "The Soul Collector". Variety. 20 October 1999.