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Allan Loeb
open-in-new
<h2 id="life-and-career">Life and career</h2> <p>Loeb was born to a <a href="/facts/American_Jews/zXED0Gus">Jewish</a> family<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> in <a href="/facts/Highland_Park,_Illinois/GGjPLGmD">Highland Park</a>, Illinois,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> the son of Elsie and Henry Loeb. He attended <a href="/facts/Ithaca_College/GPPuR6wv">Ithaca College</a> in New York from 1988 to 1992,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> dropping out to work at the <a href="/facts/Chicago_Board_of_Trade/XIQMWm9o">Chicago Board of Trade</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> He relocated to Los Angeles, California in 1993 to pursue a career in screenwriting.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> In 2004, after graduating from the <a href="/facts/University_of_California,_Los_Angeles/KwPz7AK1">University of California, Los Angeles</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> he moved to New York to write the script for <i><a href="/facts/The_Only_Living_Boy_in_New_York_(film)/o2Qcc6qN">The Only Living Boy in New York</a></i>, which was eventually made into a 2017 film. Loeb returned to Los Angeles and continued writing his script with the help of <i><a href="/facts/Little_Miss_Sunshine/e6pIbqD7">Little Miss Sunshine</a></i> producers Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa. He also joined <a href="/facts/Gamblers_Anonymous/CPLwnvGg">Gamblers Anonymous</a> to address his gambling addiction, which he claims changed his writing for the better.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Around this time, Loeb began work on his next script, <a href="/facts/Things_We_Lost_in_the_Fire_(film)/VVWEv8Y9"><i>Things We Lost in the Fire</i></a>. </p><p><i><a href="/facts/Things_We_Lost_in_the_Fire_(film)/VVWEv8Y9">Things We Lost in the Fire</a></i> was met with mixed reviews and was a box office failure grossing only around $8 million worldwide. In 2008, Loeb shared 'screenplay' credit with Peter Steinfeld on the film <a href="/facts/21_(2008_film)/eL3mwcHX">21 (2008 film)</a>, produced by and starring Kevin Spacey. In 2010, Loeb wrote <i><a href="/facts/The_Switch_(2010_film)/f0kAdmxl">The Switch</a></i>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> which premiered in August 2010. The film received relatively poor reviews and grossed nearly $50 million worldwide. He also co-wrote <i><a href="/facts/Wall_Street:_Money_Never_Sleeps/RFfA75XE">Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps</a></i> directed by Oliver Stone. The film received generally favorable reviews and earned $135 million worldwide at the box office. In addition, he wrote a pair of 2011 films, <i><a href="/facts/The_Dilemma_(film)/DyHjsvv3">The Dilemma</a> and <a href="/facts/Just_Go_With_It/r2CoxvaT">Just Go With It</a>,</i> which grossed $67 and $215 million, respectively. </p><p>Loeb rewrote the $75 million 1980s rock musical <i><a href="/facts/Rock_of_Ages_(2012_film)/Vrf3oPqf">Rock of Ages</a></i>, starring Tom Cruise, which Loeb received a shared 'screenplay' credit on. The film was a box office disappointment grossing only $56 million worldwide upon its release in June 2012.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> Additionally Loeb co-wrote, along with Kevin James, the script to the mixed martial arts comedy <i><a href="/facts/Here_Comes_the_Boom/lpu10s8B">Here Comes the Boom</a>.</i> </p><p>Loeb also rewrote the 2015 earthquake disaster 3D project <i><a href="/facts/San_Andreas_(film)/IWAqGza4">San Andreas</a></i> at <a href="/facts/New_Line_Cinema/JauA3pp0">New Line Cinema</a>, and the action comedy <i>The Machine</i>, with <a href="/facts/Vin_Diesel/un6vXhHd">Vin Diesel</a> attached to produce and star at <a href="/facts/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/sQdE9Kg2">MGM</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>In 2015, Allan Loeb's long-developing script <i>Out of This World</i>, a project he had been writing since 2007, finally moved forward. Retitled <i><a href="/facts/The_Space_Between_Us_(film)/rscDjb2Y">The Space Between Us</a></i>, the film was released in 2017. He sold his spec script, <i><a href="/facts/Collateral_Beauty/oGAevMLE">Collateral Beauty</a></i> (2016), to Palm Star Media, with <a href="/facts/Will_Smith/4sNGLYba">Will Smith</a> cast in the lead.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h3>Personal life</h3> <p>Loeb was a compulsive gambler from the age of ten until he joined <a href="/facts/Gamblers_Anonymous/CPLwnvGg">Gamblers Anonymous</a> in 2005, claiming: "Literally the minute I quit gambling my writing changed. It was magical. I had been giving so much emotional energy to gambling that only half of myself was out there writing. Gambling was a time suck, an energy suck, a creativity suck. I started going to GA meetings every Thursday night, and the writing flourished. It had so much more energy and passion."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> He lost up to $30,000 to his gambling addiction in a single weekend and he was eventually left with $150,000 in credit-card debt.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> In 2010, he relapsed and began gambling often for the next decade. In 2019, he began <a href="/facts/Short_(finance)/QMDa54dz">shorting</a> <a href="/facts/Tesla,_Inc./dSyLNM1D">Tesla</a> stocks, losing what he called "the equivalent of a three-bedroom house."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> He was later able to escape gambling, and used his experience to advocate for legalization with guardrails.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> Loeb is a keen follower of rock band <a href="/facts/Grateful_Dead/PjyyRGQt">Grateful Dead</a>, which he compares to the <a href="/facts/Film_industry/QVPeDbno">film industry</a> in its fanbase.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="filmography">Filmography</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th><a href="/facts/Screenwriter/nM1nfAto">Writer</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Film_producer/NGEVAfp1">Producer</a></th><th>Notes</th></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Things_We_Lost_in_the_Fire_(film)/VVWEv8Y9">Things We Lost in the Fire</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>Executive</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td><i><a href="/facts/21_(2008_film)/eL3mwcHX">21</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>No</td><td>Co-wrote with <a href="/facts/Peter_Steinfeld/5dILgp93">Peter Steinfeld</a></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">2010</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Switch_(2010_film)/f0kAdmxl">The Switch</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>Co-producer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Wall_Street:_Money_Never_Sleeps/RFfA75XE">Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>No</td><td>Co-wrote with <a href="/facts/Stephen_Schiff/MvlVBmcD">Stephen Schiff</a></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">2011</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Dilemma_(film)/DyHjsvv3">The Dilemma</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>No</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Just_Go_with_It/r2CoxvaT">Just Go with It</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>No</td><td>Co-wrote with Timothy Dowling</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">2012</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Rock_of_Ages_(2012_film)/Vrf3oPqf">Rock of Ages</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>No</td><td>Co-wrote with Chris D'Arienzo and <a href="/facts/Justin_Theroux/nFGtqJBR">Justin Theroux</a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Here_Comes_the_Boom/lpu10s8B">Here Comes the Boom</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>No</td><td>Co-wrote with <a href="/facts/Kevin_James/MmnQBD8H">Kevin James</a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/So_Undercover/16S475lH">So Undercover</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Co-wrote with Steven Pearl</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Abandoned_(2015_film)/tPNEp3cJ">The Abandoned</a></i></td><td>No</td><td>Executive</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Collateral_Beauty/oGAevMLE">Collateral Beauty</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">2017</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Space_Between_Us_(film)/rscDjb2Y">The Space Between Us</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>Executive</td><td>Co-wrote with Stewart Schill and <a href="/facts/Richard_Barton_Lewis/rQe8UoXY">Richard Barton Lewis</a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Only_Living_Boy_in_New_York_(film)/o2Qcc6qN">The Only Living Boy in New York</a></i></td><td>Yes</td><td>No</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Last_Moment_of_Clarity/oaPEhTq3">Last Moment of Clarity</a></i></td><td>No</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1935734/">Allan Loeb</a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Tampa Jewish Community Centers & Federation: "Jews in the News: Jason Fuchs, David Frankel and Joseph Gorden-Levitt" December 10, 2016 <a href="https://www.jewishtampa.com/jews-in-the-news/jews-in-the-news-jason-fuchs-david-frankel-and-joseph-gorden-levitt" target="_blank">https://www.jewishtampa.com/jews-in-the-news/jews-in-the-news-jason-fuchs-david-frankel-and-joseph-gorden-levitt</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Elder, Robert K. (October 18, 2007). "Screen Scene: Highland Park's Allan Loeb took his time creating 'Fire'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved 2008-05-05. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191208190643/http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/10/screen-scene-highland-parks-allan-loeb-took-his-time-creating-fire" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20191208190643/http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/10/screen-scene-highland-parks-allan-loeb-took-his-time-creating-fire</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Lynch, Dianne (October 12, 2005). "Ever write a script? Ever want to?". All Things Park. Retrieved 2008-05-05. <a href="http://allthingspark.blogspot.com/2005/10/ever-write-script-ever-want-to.html" target="_blank">http://allthingspark.blogspot.com/2005/10/ever-write-script-ever-want-to.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Elder, Robert K. (October 18, 2007). "Screen Scene: Highland Park's Allan Loeb took his time creating 'Fire'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved 2008-05-05. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191208190643/http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/10/screen-scene-highland-parks-allan-loeb-took-his-time-creating-fire" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20191208190643/http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/10/screen-scene-highland-parks-allan-loeb-took-his-time-creating-fire</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Lynch, Dianne (October 12, 2005). "Ever write a script? Ever want to?". All Things Park. Retrieved 2008-05-05. <a href="http://allthingspark.blogspot.com/2005/10/ever-write-script-ever-want-to.html" target="_blank">http://allthingspark.blogspot.com/2005/10/ever-write-script-ever-want-to.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Fernandez, Jay A. (September 27, 2006). "Former gambler now in the chips". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-05-06. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"21: Production Notes". Sony Pictures Entertainment. 2008. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-26. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080915221607/http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/21/production-notes.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20080915221607/http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/21/production-notes.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Fernandez, Jay A. (September 27, 2006). "Former gambler now in the chips". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-05-06. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Fernandez, Jay A. (September 27, 2006). "Former gambler now in the chips". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-05-06. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Disney's Bob The Musical Getting A Rewrite From Rock Of Ages Scribe". CINEMABLEND. 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2020-10-11. <a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Disney-Bob-Musical-Getting-Rewrite-From-Rock-Ages-Scribe-40969.html" target="_blank">https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Disney-Bob-Musical-Getting-Rewrite-From-Rock-Ages-Scribe-40969.html</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Former 'Lost' Showrunner Carlton Cuse to Rewrite 'San Andreas: 3D'". /Film. 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2020-10-11. <a href="https://www.slashfilm.com/lost-showrunner-carlton-cuse-rewrite-san-andreas-3d/" target="_blank">https://www.slashfilm.com/lost-showrunner-carlton-cuse-rewrite-san-andreas-3d/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"Hugh Jackman, Rooney Mara to Star in Indie Drama 'Collateral Beauty'". TheWrap. 2015-05-13. Retrieved 2018-09-10. <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/hugh-jackman-rooney-mara-to-star-in-indie-drama-collateral-beauty/" target="_blank">https://www.thewrap.com/hugh-jackman-rooney-mara-to-star-in-indie-drama-collateral-beauty/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>'Collateral Beauty' Review: Forgive the great cast for they knew not what they did: December 17, 2016 <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/review-collateral-beauty-review-forgive-the-great-cast-for-they-knew-not-what-they-did-2283665" target="_blank">https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/review-collateral-beauty-review-forgive-the-great-cast-for-they-knew-not-what-they-did-2283665</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Fernandez, Jay A. (September 27, 2006). "Former gambler now in the chips". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-05-06. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Fernandez, Jay A. (September 27, 2006). "Former gambler now in the chips". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-05-06. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-scriptland27sep27,1,5285823.story</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Loeb, Allan (9 March 2025). "Hi, My Name Is Allan, and I'm a Compulsive Gambler". The Free Press. The Free Press. Retrieved 9 March 2025. <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/hi-my-name-is-allan-and-im-a-compulsive" target="_blank">https://www.thefp.com/p/hi-my-name-is-allan-and-im-a-compulsive</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Loeb, Allan (9 March 2025). "Hi, My Name Is Allan, and I'm a Compulsive Gambler". The Free Press. The Free Press. Retrieved 9 March 2025. <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/hi-my-name-is-allan-and-im-a-compulsive" target="_blank">https://www.thefp.com/p/hi-my-name-is-allan-and-im-a-compulsive</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Elder, Robert K. (October 18, 2007). "Screen Scene: Highland Park's Allan Loeb took his time creating 'Fire'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved 2008-05-05. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191208190643/http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/10/screen-scene-highland-parks-allan-loeb-took-his-time-creating-fire" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20191208190643/http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/10/screen-scene-highland-parks-allan-loeb-took-his-time-creating-fire</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>