Profile of the Writer / Director Ben Younger

Ben Younger is an American born screen writer and Director made famous by his first major motion picture “Boiler Room”.

Younger Years

Younger was born October 7, 1972 in Brooklyn, NY. He was raised in Eltingville Staten, Island, until his parents split up, after which he was shuttled between their homes in New Jersey and Flatbush. Raised a member of the Modern Orthodox Jewish Church, he attended yeshiva before beginning a course of study in political science at Queen’s College. He continued there, working as a both a student and stand up comic, until his father was diagnosed with colon cancer, forcing him to abandon his studies.

After leaving the college, he began looking toward a career in major politics, working as a legislative aide to Alan Hevesi. From this position he went on to manage the political Campaign of Melinda Katz, a Queens Democrat as she ran for a seat in the State Assembly. In doing so he made history, at the age of 21, becoming the city’s youngest campaign manager.

Beginning an Entertainment Career

Younger’s interest in politics was short lived and by 1995, he was looking to return to stand-up comedy or a related field. He began working as a writer and director, working with music videos, commercials and short films. He then broke into the major film industry by working as a lighting tech on a number of major productions.

Filmography

In 1995, he worked with a broker to develop his first film, “Boiler Room”. It was produced with great success, and released in 2000. He followed the success with the release of his second film, a romantic comedy, “Prime”, in 2005.

In addition to his film success, Younger has also written scripts for television.