1. Adam Michael Shankman was born on November 27,1964 and is an American film director, producer, writer, dancer, author, actor, and choreographer.
30 Facts About Adam Shankman
1. 2.
Adam Shankman began his professional career in musical theater and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson.
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Adam Shankman was born in Los Angeles to an upper-middle-class Jewish family.
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Adam Shankman is the son of Phyllis, a licensed practitioner in Gestalt therapy, and Ned Shankman, an entertainment lawyer and manager for such acts as Barry White, the American band X, and Sister Sledge.
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Adam Shankman's sister, Jennifer Shankman-Gibgot, was born when Shankman was four years old.
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Adam Shankman attended Palisades High School before attending Juilliard School.
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Adam Shankman dropped out of college to dance in musical theater and at nineteen he was cast in his first professional show, West Side Story, at the esteemed Michigan Opera Theater.
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Adam Shankman moved back to Los Angeles and started dancing in music videos.
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Adam Shankman was a dancer in Janet Jackson's "Alright" video, as well as in an MC Skat Kat video with Paula Abdul.
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Adam Shankman broke into professional choreography in a 1989 music video for rapper MC Shan with director Julien Temple.
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Adam Shankman was hired on the spot without his story being verified.
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Adam Shankman served as a choreographer and dance consultant on dozens of movies including Addams Family Values, Catch Me If You Can, George of the Jungle and Boogie Nights.
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In 1998 Adam Shankman wrote and directed Cosmo's Tale, a non-dialogue short film that appeared at the Sundance Film Festival.
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Adam Shankman liked the script and this led to a meeting with execs.
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Adam Shankman was hired for the job of director ten minutes into the meeting.
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Adam Shankman has directed commercial campaigns for Macy's, Marshalls and Schick, as well as primetime television pilots and shows, including Being Mary Jane, Glee, AJ and the Queen, Step Up: High Water and Modern Family.
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Adam Shankman has directed several shorts for Funny or Die, including "Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black and written by composer Marc Shaiman.
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In 2012, Adam Shankman directed a dual campaign to attract young voters for Rock the Vote and Funny or Die.
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In 2009, Adam Shankman produced Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special, with Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe.
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Adam Shankman serves as an executive producer on YouTube Premium and Lionsgate Television series Step Up.
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In May 2021, Adam Shankman announced that he would serve as an executive producer for Hocus Pocus 2.
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Adam Shankman used the term "lyrical hip-hop" to describe the dance style associated with the choreography duo of Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo.
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Adam Shankman has donated time and funds to numerous charitable and political foundations.
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Adam Shankman actively promotes charitable causes by producing live events and galas, utilizing social media, participating in PSAs, speaking engagements and personal appearances.
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Adam Shankman teaches classes and mentors students for Ghetto Film School and has appeared at events for Operation Smile.
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Adam Shankman serves on the board of The Trevor Project and co-founded the DizzyFeet Foundation with his friend Nigel Lythgoe.
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Adam Shankman officiated the wedding of actors Freddie Prinze Jr.
28.
Adam Shankman got the Buffy job based on Gellar's recommendation to the show's creator, Joss Whedon.
29.
Adam Shankman danced on the Oscars telecast in 1990, and exactly 20 years later was a producer and choreographer at the 82nd Oscars.
30.
At the 1989 Oscars, Adam Shankman danced in the number "Under the Sea", where he met his best friend, director and choreographer Anne Fletcher.