Graham Yost

Biography

Graham Yost is a versatile Canadian-American writer, producer, occasional director, and actor with a career spanning both film and television. He is best known for his work as a screenwriter, with major Hollywood successes such as Speed (1994), Broken Arrow (1996), and Hard Rain (1998). These action-packed thrillers cemented his reputation as a skilled writer in the Hollywood film industry.

Yost's career took a turn towards television in the 2000s, where he contributed to several highly regarded shows. Notably, he served as a writer and executive producer for The Pacific (HBO, 2010), an epic World War II drama that garnered critical acclaim. He also worked on Justified (FX, 2010-2015), a revenge-driven drama based on Elmore Leonard's works, which became a huge success and helped establish Yost as a respected television writer and producer.

 Additionally, Yost worked on Falling Skies (TNT, 2011-2015), a sci-fi drama about an alien invasion, and The Americans (FX, 2013-2018), a Cold War spy thriller that received widespread critical praise.

Born in Etobicoke, Ontario, Yost is the son of the popular Canadian broadcaster Elwy Yost. His early career saw him working as a writer on several television series, including the children's cowboy show Hey Dude (Nickelodeon, 1989-1991) and the high-concept sitcom Herman's Head (Fox, 1991-1994). His breakthrough in film came when he wrote the script for Speed, which became a blockbuster hit and cemented his position in Hollywood's action movie scene.

Yost's work in television also includes his role as supervising producer and writer for the Ron Howard-produced miniseries From the Earth to the Moon (HBO, 1998), where he also directed one episode. While he continued his success in film, notably with Mission to Mars (2000), his focus shifted to television in the 2000s. Yost created and worked on the crime procedural drama Boomtown (NBC, 2002-2003) and the quirky detective show Raines (NBC, 2007), although both were short-lived.

The critical acclaim of Justified in the early 2010s established Yost as a successful showrunner in the cable television world, further solidifying his reputation as a writer-producer capable of handling complex and compelling narratives across a variety of genres.

Yost's diverse body of work has made him a significant figure in both film and television, with his writing and producing roles continuing to influence and shape the entertainment industry.