John Singleton

John Singleton was honored with a tribute during the 2022-2023 Academic year by USC (University of Southern California), his alma mater, where he developed the script for his 1991 directing debut, Boyz n the Hood, while attending the screenwriting program at USC’s Film School (the school has since been renamed the School of Cinematic Arts, or SCA). For this film, Singleton was nominated for two Academy Awards in 1992 for Best Director and Best Screenplay.

When John Singleton died on April 28, 2019, at the age of 51 following a stroke, one of the numerous tributes to him was by Barack Obama who tweeted, “His seminal work, Boyz n the Hood, remains one of the most searing, loving portrayals of the challenges facing inner-city youth. He opened doors for filmmakers of color to tell powerful stories that have been too often ignored.

In 1991 Frank Price was head of Columbia Pictures before it was known as Sony. Price had risen from the ranks of writer and TV executive to became a very hands-on studio head.