Anecdotes

Attended University of Michigan as an education major.

Is a fan of the films of Akira Kurosawa, something that can be see in his early scripts. Le garde du corps (1992) was his first script, and was named after the English title of Le garde du corps (1961), which is also featured in the film itself. Kevin Costner's role was originally written for Steve McQueen, who appeared in Les sept mercenaires (1960), a remake of Les sept samouraïs (1954). The characters of R2-D2 and C-3PO, in La guerre des étoiles V: L'empire contre-attaque (1980) and La guerre des étoiles VI: Le retour du jedi (1983), were based on Matashichi and Tahei, two farmers from The Hidden Fortress (1958).

Liked writing instead of teaching.

Has directed two actresses to Oscar nominations: Glenn Close (Best Supporting Actress, Les copains d'abord (1983)) and Geena Davis (Best Supporting Actress, Voyageur malgré lui (1988)). Davis won the Oscar for her performance.

Has collaborated with Kevin Kline [to date, September 2015] in cinema movies on six occasions.The films are Silverado (1985), Le coeur de la cité (1991), Bons baisers de France (1995), Les copains d'abord (1983), Charmant compagnon (2012), and Je t'aime à te tuer (1990).

Won the prestigious "Hopwood Prize" for creative writing from the University of Michigan's Hopwood Program. Hopwood was a Michigan alumnus who left a bequest in his will establishing the awards. The Hopwood Program at Michigan now administers the Arthur Miller Award of the U-M Club of New York Scholarship and the Kasdan Scholarship in Creative Writing, among other award/scholarship programs. Kasadan delivered the Hopwood Prize address in the year 2000.

Worked as a copywriter.

Father of Jonathan Kasdan and Jake Kasdan.

Never directed Harrison Ford in a movie, despite having written four movies in which Ford appears: La guerre des étoiles V: L'empire contre-attaque (1980), Les aventuriers de l'arche perdue (1981), La guerre des étoiles VI: Le retour du jedi (1983) and La guerre des étoiles VII - Le réveil de la force (2015). He did, however, direct River Phoenix in Je t'aime à te tuer (1990). Phoenix had played the young Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones et la dernière croisade (1989). He also directed Bill Pullman in Voyageur malgré lui (1988). Pullman played a Han Solo-type character in La folle histoire de l'espace (1987) .

Grew up in Morgantown, WV.

Frequently casts Kevin Costner, Ted Danson, Jeff Fahey, Danny Glover, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Jason Lee, Mary McDonnell, Bill Pullman Kathleen Turner, and JoBeth Williams. He has also cast Goldblum's ex-wives Patricia Gaul in Les copains d'abord (1983) and Silverado (1985) and Geena Davis in Voyageur malgré lui (1988).

Named Lawrence d'Arabie (1962) as his favorite film in a AFI poll.

Brother of Mark Kasdan.

Has directed Jeff Goldblum in two films: Les copains d'abord (1983) and Silverado (1985). Both also featured his first wife, Patricia Gaul. Voyageur malgré lui (1988) featured his second wife, Geena Davis. While he has never directed a film with any of Goldblum's subsequent partners, Goldblum was involved with Laura Dern, who appears in Star Wars: Les derniers Jedi (2017), while Kasdan wrote three of the "Star Wars" films.

His first job as a hired writer was to write Les aventuriers de l'arche perdue (1981) for Steven Spielberg. In his career as a director, he would work with many actors who had also worked for Spielberg. These include William Hurt, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, Ted Danson, David Paymer, Jeff Goldblum and River Phoenix.

Nephew of Jack Landau.