Favorite Children's or Young Adult's Author Biopic
by urbanemovies | created - 03 Nov 2018 | updated - 06 Aug 2022 | PublicWhich of these biographical movies based on the real-life author of children's or young adult works is the most enchanting tale?
Discuss the topic here.
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1. Finding Neverland (2004)
PG | 106 min | Biography, Drama, Family
The story of Sir J.M. Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.
Director: Marc Forster | Stars: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Radha Mitchell
Votes: 212,035 | Gross: $51.68M
J.M. Barrie,
author and creator of "Peter Pan"
Alternate Biopic: The Lost Boys (1978)
2. Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
PG-13 | 125 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Author P.L. Travers reflects on her childhood after reluctantly meeting with Walt Disney, who seeks to adapt her Mary Poppins books for the big screen.
Director: John Lee Hancock | Stars: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley, Colin Farrell
Votes: 170,030 | Gross: $83.30M
P.L. Travers
author of the "Mary Poppins" series
3. Miss Potter (2006)
PG | 88 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
The story of Beatrix Potter, the author of the beloved and best-selling children's book, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit", and her struggle for love, happiness, and success.
Director: Chris Noonan | Stars: Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson, Barbara Flynn
Votes: 32,016 | Gross: $2.98M
Beatrix Potter,
author of the "Peter the Rabbit" series
Alternate Biopic: Beatrix: The Early Life of Beatrix Potter (1990)
4. Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017)
PG | 107 min | Biography, Drama, Family
The relationship between writer AA Milne and his son, Christopher Robin, and how this became the inspiration for Winnie the Pooh.
Director: Simon Curtis | Stars: Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, Kelly Macdonald, Vicki Pepperdine
Votes: 29,839 | Gross: $1.74M
AA Milne,
author of the "Winnie the Pooh" series and "When We Were Very Young"
5. Hans Christian Andersen (1952)
Passed | 112 min | Biography, Family, Musical
The opening scene of the movie describes it best: "Once upon a time there lived in Denmark a great storyteller named Hans Christian Andersen. This is not the story of his life, but a fairy tale about the great spinner of fairy tales."
Director: Charles Vidor | Stars: Danny Kaye, Farley Granger, Zizi Jeanmaire, Joseph Walsh
Votes: 4,220
Hans Christian Andersen,
author of "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling," "The Snow Queen," "The Emperor's New Clothes" and 152 other literary fairy tales
Alternate Biopic: Unge Andersen (2005)
6. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
PG | 109 min | Biography, Drama
Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Lloyd Vogel.
Director: Marielle Heller | Stars: Matthew Rhys, Tom Hanks, Chris Cooper, Susan Kelechi Watson
Votes: 88,711 | Gross: $61.70M
Fred Rogers,
creator of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" the "Neighborhood of Make-Believe" and author of topical children-related works
7. To Olivia (2021)
99 min | Biography, Drama
The story of the tumultuous marriage between actress Patricia Neal and renowned writer Roald Dahl.
Director: John Hay | Stars: Hugh Bonneville, Bobby O'Neill, Eve Prenelle, Michael Jibson
Votes: 1,802
Roald Dahl,
author of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "James and the Giant Peach," "Matilda," "The Witches" and others
8. Tolkien (2019)
PG-13 | 112 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Tolkien's novels were inspired by his mom's storytelling, falling in love with another orphan, Edith, forming a brotherhood with 3 other misfits at school, the trench war of WWI and later telling stories to his own kids.
Director: Dome Karukoski | Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney, Derek Jacobi
Votes: 46,600 | Gross: $4.54M
J.R.R. Tolkien,
author of the YA novels, "The Hobbit," "The Father Christmas Letters" and the "Lord of the Rings" series
9. Becoming Astrid (2018)
123 min | Biography, Drama, History
Biopic of Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, the author of numerous children's books and creator of Pippi Longstocking.
Director: Pernille Fischer Christensen | Stars: Alba August, Maria Bonnevie, Trine Dyrholm, Henrik Rafaelsen
Votes: 7,353 | Gross: $0.12M
Astrid Lindgren,
author of the "Pippi Longstocking" series and "Ronia the Robber's Daughter"
10. Professor Marston & the Wonder Women (2017)
R | 108 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of psychologist William Moulton Marston, and his polyamorous relationship with his wife and their mistress who would inspire his creation of the superheroine, Wonder Woman.
Director: Angela Robinson | Stars: Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote, Connie Britton
Votes: 28,644 | Gross: $1.59M
William Moulton Marston, creator of "Wonder Woman"
11. Shadowlands (1993)
PG | 131 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
C.S. Lewis, a world-renowned Christian theologian, writer and professor, leads a passionless life until he meets spirited poet Joy Gresham from the U.S.
Director: Richard Attenborough | Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger, Julian Fellowes, Roddy Maude-Roxby
Votes: 20,444 | Gross: $25.84M
C.S. Lewis,
author of the YA novels from the "Chronicles of Narnia" series
12. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
PG | 104 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
The journey that led to Charles Dickens' creation of "A Christmas Carol," a timeless tale that would redefine Christmas.
Director: Bharat Nalluri | Stars: Dan Stevens, Mark Schrier, Patrick Joseph Byrnes, Miriam Margolyes
Votes: 19,283 | Gross: $5.68M
Charles Dickens,
author of the YA novels: "A Christmas Carol," "Oliver Twist" and "The Magic Fishbone"
Alternate Biopic: The Invisible Woman (2013)
13. The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)
G | 135 min | Adventure, Biography, Comedy
The story of Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm, and three of their stories.
Directors: Henry Levin, George Pal | Stars: Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom, Karlheinz Böhm, Walter Slezak
Votes: 2,159 | Gross: $14.17M
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm,
noted authors who collected and published European folklore tales and placed The Brothers Grimm among the world's best-known storytellers
14. The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)
Approved | 180 min | Biography, Drama, Family
During World War II, a teenage Jewish girl named Anne Frank and her family are forced into hiding in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands.
Director: George Stevens | Stars: Millie Perkins, Shelley Winters, Joseph Schildkraut, Richard Beymer
Votes: 13,686 | Gross: $5.01M
Anne Frank,
young adult diarist
Alternate Biopic: The Diary of Anne Frank (1967), The Diary of Anne Frank (1980) among others
15. Dreamchild (1985)
PG | 94 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Ian Holm is children's author Lewis Carroll in this poignant fantasy-drama set in 1930s New York and populated by the fabulous special effects creatures of Muppet master Jim Henson.
Director: Gavin Millar | Stars: Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Gallagher, Caris Corfman
Votes: 1,750 | Gross: $1.22M
Lewis Carroll aka Charles Lutwidge Dodgson,
author of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and its sequel, "Through the Looking-Glass," as well as, the poems "Jabberwocky" and "The Hunting of the Snark"
16. My Boy Jack (2007 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 95 min | Biography, Drama, History
Author Rudyard Kipling and his wife search for their 18-year-old son after he goes missing during World War I.
Director: Brian Kirk | Stars: David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe, Kim Cattrall, Carey Mulligan
Votes: 5,655
Rudyard Kipling,
author of "The Jungle Book," "Just So Stories" and "Puck of Pook's Hill"
17. Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story (2011 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 90 min | Biography, Drama
An inspiring look at JK Rowling's rise to become one of the most influential writers-from her humble beginnings as an imaginative young girl and awkward teenager to the loss of her mother and the genesis of the Harry Potter phenomenon.
Director: Paul A. Kaufman | Stars: Poppy Montgomery, Emily Holmes, Antonio Cupo, Janet Kidder
Votes: 2,760
J.K. Rowling,
author of the YA novels from the "Harry Potter" and the "Fantastic Beasts" series
Alternate Upcoming Biopic: When Lightning Strikes
18. Rebel in the Rye (2017)
PG-13 | 106 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
The life of celebrated but reclusive author, J.D. Salinger, who gained worldwide fame with the publication of his novel, "The Catcher in the Rye".
Director: Danny Strong | Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Victor Garber, Hope Davis
Votes: 10,788 | Gross: $0.38M
J.D. Salinger,
author of the YA novel "The Catcher in the Rye" and its protagnist, Holden Caulfield
19. The Happy Prince (2018)
R | 105 min | Biography, Drama
The untold story of the last days in the tragic times of Oscar Wilde, a person who observes his own failure with ironic distance and regards the difficulties that beset his life with detachment and humor.
Director: Rupert Everett | Stars: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Emily Watson, Colin Morgan
Votes: 5,877 | Gross: $0.47M
Oscar Wilde,
author of "The Happy Prince," The Selfish Giant" and other stories
Alternate Biopics: Wilde (1997), Oscar (1985), The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960) and Oscar Wilde (1960)
20. The Adventures of Mark Twain (1985)
G | 86 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn join Mark Twain on his airship to meet Halley's Comet.
Director: Will Vinton | Stars: James Whitmore, Michele Mariana, Gary Krug, Chris Ritchie
Votes: 3,401 | Gross: $0.85M
Mark Twain aka Samuel Clemens,
author of YA novels: "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Alternate Biopics: The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944) and Mark Twain and Me (1991)
21. Infamous (2006)
R | 110 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
While researching his novel "In Cold Blood", Truman Capote develops a close relationship with convicted murderers Dick Hickock and Perry Smith.
Director: Douglas McGrath | Stars: Toby Jones, Daniel Craig, Sandra Bullock, Sigourney Weaver
Votes: 18,219 | Gross: $1.15M
Harper Lee,
author of the YA novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Alternate Biopic: Capote (2005)
22. Jack London (1943)
Approved | 94 min | Adventure, Biography, War
Episodes in the adventurous life of the American novelist (1876-1916).
Director: Alfred Santell | Stars: Michael O'Shea, Susan Hayward, Osa Massen, Harry Davenport
Votes: 446
Jack London,
author of YA adventure novels: "Call of the Wild" and "White Fang"
23. The Dreamer of Oz (1990 TV Movie)
100 min | Biography, Drama, Family
The film is the biography of Frank Baum, the children's book author and creator of the fantasy world Oz.
Director: Jack Bender | Stars: John Ritter, Annette O'Toole, Rue McClanahan, Charles Haid
Votes: 587
Frank Baum,
author of the "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" series and the "Aunt Jane's Nieces" series
24. Enid (2009 TV Movie)
82 min | Biography, Drama
Edwardian child Enid Blyton begins to tell stories to her brothers as an escape from their parents' rows before the father deserts the family. While training as a teacher after the Great ... See full summary »
Director: James Hawes | Stars: Helena Bonham Carter, Matthew Macfadyen, Denis Lawson, Claire Rushbrook
Votes: 1,670
Enid Blyton,
author of "The Famous Five," "The Secret Seven," as well as, the creator of Noddy
25. Cross Creek (1983)
PG | 127 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
In the 1930s, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings moves to Florida's backwaters to write in peace. She feels bothered by affectionate men, editor and confused neighbors, but soon she connects and writes The Yearling, a classic of American literature.
Director: Martin Ritt | Stars: Mary Steenburgen, Rip Torn, Peter Coyote, Dana Hill
Votes: 2,033 | Gross: $0.20M
Marjorie Rawlings,
author of the YA novels: "The Yearling" and "The Secret River"
26. Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder (1999 TV Movie)
96 min | Adventure, Biography, Family
A version of the "Little House" stories that cover some of the events that take place in the last three books of the series and the book "The First Four Years" Laura is living on the ... See full summary »
Director: Marcus Cole | Stars: Richard Thomas, Meredith Monroe, Walton Goggins, Lindsay Crouse
Votes: 387
Laura Ingalls Wilder,
author of the "House on the Praire" series
27. Saint-Ex (1996)
PG | 82 min | Biography, Drama, Fantasy
Poetic biography of author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Director: Anand Tucker | Stars: Bruno Ganz, Miranda Richardson, Janet McTeer, Ken Stott
Votes: 226
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,
author of "Le Petit Prince" aka The Little Prince
28. The Glass Castle (2017)
PG-13 | 127 min | Biography, Drama
A young girl comes of age in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with a mother who's an eccentric artist and an alcoholic father who would stir the children's imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty.
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton | Stars: Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts, Ella Anderson
Votes: 38,528 | Gross: $17.27M
Jeannette Walls,
a young adult memoirist
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