Jack Barth is an Anglo-American writer. He has written for film, television, books and magazines, and is also a television producer. He is best known for creating the story that was the basis for the 2019 film Yesterday and his claim that Richard Curtis falsely took credit for key elements of Barth's original screenplay, "Cover Version."[1][2] Prior to Yesterday, Barth had written 25 unproduced screenplays over 40 years. At age 62, he might also have been the oldest person ever to see a first feature screenplay produced, with the previous oldest first-time screenwriter believed to have been Raymond Chandler, at age 56.[3]

A former editor of the Stanford Chaparral, Barth also wrote The Simpsons episode "A Fish Called Selma".[1] He wrote and produced several series for British television that were presented by Jonathan Ross, including Americana, Japanorama and Asian Invasion. His books include Roadside America[4] (co-written with Doug Kirby, Ken Smith and Mike Wilkins), American Quest,[5][6] Roadside Hollywood, Roadside Elvis[7] and Sold Short,[8] a look at fraud in the American stock markets as seen through the eyes of the notorious short-seller Manuel P. Asensio.

References

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  1. ^ a b "How One 'Yesterday' Screenwriter's Dream Became Something Of A Nightmare". uproxx.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  2. ^ ‘Yesterday’: The Real Story Behind The Beatles-Inspired Movie. Wall Street Journal, June 24, 2019
  3. ^ "10 Screenwriters Who Broke In Late". industrialscripts.com. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  4. ^ Michael T. Kaufman: Homesick for Hokum, NY Times, Aug. 6, 1989
  5. ^ "American Quest". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Fresh Air: Jack Barth discusses "American Quest" with Terry Gross". freshairarchive.org. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  7. ^ "Book Lets You Travel in Footsteps of King". Deseret News. 16 August 1991. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Sold Short". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
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