Sandy Fries is an American television writer and journalist.
He wrote two episodes of the Jem animated series that aired from 1985 to 1988.
Career[]
Born in New York City, Fries had always been interested in writing and thus joined Clark University where he received his B.A. in Journalism and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He then joined Columbia University where he got his M.S. Degree in Journalism. While there, Sandy was even awarded with an NBC Fellowship.
After completing his studies, Sandy moved to California where he worked for Young & Rubicam Advertising. He then delved into writing for TV shows and penned episodes of Diff'rent Strokes (1978), The Smurfs (1981), Fame (1984), ThunderCats (1985), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Superboy (1988), Quantum Leap (1990), and Spider-Man (1996).
Fries is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, a former chairman of the Writer's Guild of America Future of Television Seminar, served as judge for the Emmy Awards, and even received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for television writing in 1985 for his work on The Smurfs. He also received a special commendation from the former mayor of Los Angeles for public service television writing.
It was Fries' agent who brought him to the attention of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, during the 1980s. The two became friends and Fries was hired as a staff writer for Star Trek: The Next Generation. He eventually co-wrote one Star Trek novel and ten video games, including Starfleet Academy.
He made deals with Warner Brothers and Dick Clark productions, served as a freelance writer for the Los Angeles Times, and as a travel and food writer on My Table magazine.
As a journalist, Fries has met three United States Presidents: Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton. He's also traveled the world as a travel writer. But now fries is the professional writer inspiring a new generation of authors as a Mass Communications professor at College of DuPage. As part of his Mass Communications 101 class, he uses his contacts to pass along knowledge to his students.
While working as a writer on the Starfleet Academy video game, Fries met actor William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek. Shatner is one of several high-profile professionals Fries has recorded for his classes. He conducted a two-day televised interview with Oscar-winning screenwriter Eric Roth (Forest Gump), where students could ask Roth questions, and he's held teleconferences with Patric Verrone, Emmy-winning writer for Muppets Tonight, and Frances Hardin, former White House correspondent for CNN.
Currently, Sandy Fries works as an associate professor of mass communication and writing at the College of Dupage in Chicago.
Jem episodes written by Sandy Fries[]
- Old Meets New (1986)
- Alone Again (1987)