Melissa Marie Mathison was born on 3rd June 1950, in Los Angeles, California USA, and was a film and TV screenwriter, best known for scripting such films as “The Black Stallion” (1979), and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) among many others. Her career started in 1979 and ended with her death in 2015.
Have you ever wondered how rich Melissa Mathison was, at the time of her death? According to authoritative sources, Melissa`s net worth was as high as $22 million, earned through her successful career in the entertainment industry.
Melissa Mathison Net Worth $22 Million
Melissa was one of five siblings born to Richard Randolph Mathison and his wife Margaret Jean, nee Kieffer; her father worked as a journalist for Newsweek as its bureau chef, while her mother was a food writer and convenience-foods entrepreneur. She attended Providence High School and matriculated in 1968, then enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, but dropped out of college when film director Francis Ford Copola invited her to help him out with the script for The Godfather Part II. Her family was quite friendly with the Copolas, which turned out to be fruitful for Melissa. Soon after, she was encouraged by Francis to write a screenplay for “The Black Stallion”, based on the novel of the same name by Walter Farley. This brought Steven Spielberg to the picture, as the film became quite successful, as it was nominated for two Academy Awards. Building up friendship with Spielberg, the two started working on “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial”, and the film came out in 1982, garnering four Oscars and numerous other prestigious nominations and awards. The success of the film certainly increased Melissa`s net worth to a large degree.
Her next venture was the crime drama “The Escape Artist”, which was released the same year, directed by Caleb Deshanel and starring Raul Julia and Desi Arnaz. In 1995 Melissa collaborated with film director Frank Oz on the film “The Indian in the Cupboard”, but several years before she had traveled to Tibet and met with the Dalai Lama to write a screenplay for a biographical film about the life of the spiritual leader of Tibet, entitled “Kundun”, which came out in 1997, crediting Martin Scorsese as its director. The film turned out to be yet another success for Melissa, as it was nominated for four Oscars and won various awards. Her net worth was rising.
After “Kundun” came out, Melissa focused on other activities, including fighting for Tibetan freedom, while she was also on the board of the International Campaign for Tibet. Before her death, she collaborated once again with the legendary director, Steven Spielberg on the film “BFG”, which came out several months after her death.
Melissa won several awards during her career, including a Saturn Award in the category Best Writing for the film “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial”, while she was also nominated for Academy and Golden Globe Awards for the same film.
Regarding her personal life, Melissa was married to actor Harrison Ford from 1983 until 2004 when they split up; the couple has two children together. Melissa passed away on 4th November 2015 after losing her battle with neuroendocrine cancer.
Full Name
Melissa Mathison
Net Worth
$22 Million
Date Of Birth
June 3, 1950
Died
November 4, 2015, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Profession
Screenwriter
Education
Providence High School
Nationality
American
Spouse
Harrison Ford (m. 1983–2004)
Children
Georgia Ford, Malcolm Ford
Parents
Richard Randolph Mathison, Margaret Jean Kieffer Mathison
Saturn Award, Saturn Award for Best Writing, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Drama
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture, Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay
Movies
The BFG, In Search of Kundun with Martin Scorsese, Kundun, The Indian in the Cupboard, Twilight Zone: The Movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Black Stallion
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The BFG
2016
screenplay
Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure
2001
Video Game character: E.T.
Kundun
1997
written by
The Indian in the Cupboard
1995
screenplay
Morning Star
1991
TV Mini-Series teleplay - 2 episodes
Twilight Zone: The Movie
1983
segment "2", as Josh Rogan
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
1982
Video Game characters
The Escape Artist
1982
screenplay
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1982
written by
The Black Stallion
1979
screenplay
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The BFG
2016
associate producer
Kundun
1997
co-producer
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1982
associate producer
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Ponyo
2008
storyline consultant: English dubbed version
Apocalypse Now
1979
executive assistant
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1982
Elliot's School Nurse (uncredited)
Location Management
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Godfather: Part II
1974
location assistant
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The BFG
2016
dedicatee
Stephanie Daley
2006
very special thanks
Lights, Camera, Magic
1995
TV Movie special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Refuge
2006/II
Documentary
Herself
Live at the Shrine! John Williams and the World Premiere of 'E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial': The 20th Anniversary
2002
Video
Herself
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: 20th Anniversary Celebration
2002
Video documentary
Herself
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 20th Anniversary Special
2002
TV Movie documentary
Herself
The Annual Film Society of Lincoln Center Honors Mike Nichols
1999
TV Movie
Herself
In Search of Kundun with Martin Scorsese
1998
Documentary
Herself
The Making of 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial'
1996
Video documentary
Herself
Archive Footage
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1983
Saturn Award
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
Best Writing
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
1983
WGA Award (Screen)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
1982
New Generation Award
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2016
BAFTA Children's Award
BAFTA Awards
BAFTA Kids Vote - Feature Film
The BFG (2016)
1983
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen