Jeff Arch
Biography
Jeff Arch is an American screenwriter, playwright and producer best known for writing the screenplay for the romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle (1993). He graduated from Harrisburg Academy in 1972 and studied theatre and film production at Emerson College in Boston from 1972 to 1976. During his early career, he worked as a concert lighting designer in Los Angeles while developing his screenwriting skills. He also formed a close friendship with cinematographer Conrad Hall, who became an important influence on his life and work.
After moving to Virginia in 1982, Arch worked as a high-school English teacher and Tae Kwon Do instructor. In 1990, he developed the idea for Sleepless in Seattle, which became his breakthrough project. The film earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, shared with Nora Ephron and David S. Ward.
He subsequently wrote and contributed to several film and television projects, including Iron Will (1994), Saving Milly (2005) and Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys (2005), which he also directed. He received a Humanitas Prize nomination for his screenplay for Saving Milly. He also worked as co-producer and book writer on the musical adaptation of Sleepless in Seattle.
