Peter Hyams
- Director
- Cinematographer
- Writer
Peter Hyams was born in New York on July 26, 1943, and attended Hunter
College Elementary School. He studied art and music at the Art Students
League and the High School of Music and Art as well as at Syracuse
University, where he majored in music and art. Before he became a CBS
News news anchor in New York at the age of 21 he had been a drummer
with such important jazz musicians as
Bill Evans and
Maynard Ferguson and had played at
Birdland, Small's Paradise and the Newport Jazz Festival. His paintings
have hung in such prestigious galleries as the Whitney Museum of
American Art. Hyams brought to film direction essential elements of
music and painting. From music comes a special sensitivity to structure
and rhythm; from painting a heightened sense of light and color. These
important insights help Hyams to achieve his goal of creating films
which "reach people's emotions, not their minds." Peter Hyams is 6'1"
and lives in Brentwood, California, with his wife George-Ann. He has
three sons: Chris, John and Nick.