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Michael Elias born (September 20, 1940) is an American writer, film director and producer.

Early and Private Life
Michael Elias was born in upstate New York. He inherited his left-wing politics from his parents. His father was a doctor, the son of immigrants to the US from Hungary who spent some time in Spain in the 1930s during the Spanish Civil War. His mother was a librarian and trade union activist, whose parents came to the US from Russia. The family moved to Woodstock in the early 1960s. Elias attended Woodbourne Elementary School, Fallsburg High Central Junior and Senior High School. From there he went to St. John’s College in Annapolis, Md. graduating in 1962 with a degree in mathematics and philosophy. He was President of The Rogers Albritton Film Club and acted in The King William Players productions of Shakespeare, Brecht and Beckett. Elias is the brother of Ruth Elias (Lady Rogers) who is married to British born architect Richard Rogers (Lord Rogers).

Elias has been married three times: Caroline Bielefelt 1963-1974, Laraine Mestman 1991-2001, and Bianca Roberts who is currently on the Board of The Mona Bismarck American Centerin Paris. Elias has one son with Laraine Mestman, Frederick Mestman and three step-sons Ernie Klein, Siggy Bodolai and James Bulliard.

Film and Television
In 1971 Elias and Steve Martin were both staff writers on The Pat Paulsen Half A Comedy Show. When Martin decided to devote himself to stand-up he invited Elias to write material for him. This began a long collaboration that also included Martin’s comedy albums and two of his network TV specials A Wild and Crazy Guy (1978) Comedy is Not Pretty (1980) and the screenplay for The Jerk (1979).

From 1986 to 1991 Eustis and Elias began a partnership in which they created and produced the hit sit-com "Head of the Class" starring Howard Hesseman about gifted but socially inept high school students that ran for five seasons on ABC. In the last year Hesseman was replaced by the Scottish comedian Billy Connolly. Two of the 115 episodes were filmed in the USSR (Mission to Moscow Pts 1, 2). It was the first American television show to be shot in Moscow.

In 1992 Elias and Eustis amicably dissolved their partnership. Elias went on to write and direct Showtime’s "Lush Life" with Forest Whitaker and Jeff Goldblum year. He was nominated for best Director at the CableACE Award and the TV movie has become a Jazz film classic.

Lawsuit
In July 2011 Michael Elias and Richard Eustis filed a lawsuit against CAA claiming the agency's package fee included an undisclosed "side deal" with Warner Bros. for 10% of profits making its own side deals that cut into their profits. . CAA declined to comment. Shortly after they dropped Eustis and Elias as clients in 1995, around the time Ovitz left CAA.