About Henry Bean
Born 1945. Henry Bean is an American actor, screenwriter, film director, film producer, novelist and writer.
Henry Bean (born August 3, 1945) is an American screenwriter, film director, film producer, novelist, and actor.
Best known as a screenwriter, Bean wrote the screenplays for Internal Affairs, Deep Cover, Venus Rising, The Believer, Basic Instinct 2, and Noise. Bean directed The Believer and Noise. He also acted in The Believer, and was a producer on Deep Cover and Noise.
Life Bean was born in Philadelphia, to Fahnya (née Schorr) and Donald Bean (a lawyer). Bean is Jewish. He received a BA from Yale University in 1967; and a MA from Stanford University in 1973. won a PEN Center USA award for "First Fiction".
The Believer was awarded the dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the 2001 Sundance Festival; the Golden St. George at the 23rd Moscow International Film Festival.; and Bean was named a "Breakthrough Director" at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in 2001.
Bean was the inspiration for the protagonist of Noise. He was so tired of constant noise around him and his home in New York City that he decided to take the law into his own hands. If a car alarm was going off and the owner of the vehicle didn't rectify the situation, Bean would break into the car to disable the offending car alarm. Bean was eventually arrested and jailed. He admits to doing it a few more times since.
Bean was a co-writer on two episodes in the second season of The OA.
Personal life Bean married Nancy Eliason on January 3, 1968; they divorced February 14, 1970. He married screenwriter Leora Barish on March 23, 1980.
Filmography Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes 1983 Running Brave 1990 Internal Affairs 1992 Deep Cover 1995 Venus Rising 2001 The Believer Role as "Ilio Manzetti" 2006 Basic Instinct 2 2007 Noise
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Important facts
People in Henry Bean's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Henry Bean's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Henry Bean?
American film director, actor
When was Henry Bean born?
Henry Bean was born on 3 August 1945 in Philadelphia.
What is Henry Bean's occupation?
Henry Bean is an actor, screenwriter, film director, film producer, novelist and writer.
What nationality is Henry Bean?
Henry Bean is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Henry Bean. https://biography.guide/henry-bean/
MLA: "Henry Bean." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/henry-bean/.
Chicago: "Henry Bean." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/henry-bean/.
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