Biography

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is the debut original screenplay of playwright/ screenwriter, Kelly Masterson.

Kelly is a former Franciscan Brother who left the seminary just short of his ordination in order to pursue a career in the theater. His award winning play, Touch, was produced off Broadway in 1987 and brought Kelly to New York. Despite several modest successes in the theatre, Kelly maintained a 'day job', at a prominent bank in Manhattan. During that time, Kelly continued to write plays and pursue his dream of becoming a full time writer. His plays have been produced throughout the country in regional theaters including "Dare Not Speak Its Name" (Outstanding Play by the Connecticut Critics Circle). He has also had several New York and Los Angeles productions including Against the Rising Sea, Armageddon North Dakota, True Story and The Word is Out (Winner: Critic's Choice Samuel French One-Act Festival)

Kelly adapted another play, Into the Light, as a teleplay and sold the script to Hallmark Hall of Fame. In 1999, Kelly wrote his first original screenplay and it finally made it to the big screen eight years later. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is that screenplay and marked the culmination of Kelly's long and patient journey to "overnight" success.

Additional credits include the screenplays for Snowpiercer,directed by Bong-Joon-ho, Good People, directed by Henrik Ruben Genz, and the adaptation of the Bill O'Reilly/Martin Dugard best-seller, Killing Kennedy,for National Geographic Channel,produced by Scott Free T.V. He has sold original pilots to AMC, USA & ABC. Kelly lives in New Jersey with his partner of 25+ years and their dogs, all of whom are Yankee fans. (especially the dogs)
- IMDb mini biography by: Kelly Masterson