Mark Schwahn

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American film director

title: "Mark Schwahn" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1966-births", "american-male-screenwriters", "american-soap-opera-writers", "american-television-directors", "place-of-birth-missing-(living-people)", "television-producers-from-illinois", "living-people", "university-of-maryland,-college-park-alumni", "american-showrunners", "people-from-pontiac,-illinois", "film-directors-from-illinois", "american-male-television-writers", "american-television-writers", "screenwriters-from-illinois", "sexual-harassment-in-the-united-states"] description: "American film director" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Schwahn" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American film director ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox writer"]

Field	Value
name	Mark Schwahn
image	Mark Schwahn.jpg
caption	Mark Schwahn in 2012
birth_date
birth_place	Pontiac, Illinois
alma_mater	University of Maryland
occupation	Director, producer, screenwriter
years_active	1996–2018
notableworks	One Tree Hill
::

Early life

Mark Schwahn was born on July 5, 1966 in Pontiac, Illinois. He attended the University of Maryland where he earned a BA in radio, television, and film.

Career

Schwahn has co-written Coach Carter (2005), The Perfect Score (2004), Whatever It Takes (2000) and 35 Miles from Normal (1997). In addition, he was creator of the TV series One Tree Hill, for which he also wrote and directed.

He served as producer for Whatever It Takes and One Tree Hill. He also directed 35 Miles from Normal, which he filmed in his hometown of Pontiac, Illinois.

His last major project was creating the E! scripted series The Royals.

''Melrose Place'' spin-off

He emerged as a top candidate to write a planned spin-off of Melrose Place shortly after the network and CBS Paramount Television announced it in late October 2008. Schwahn signed a two-year deal with CPT in early October 2008, but it had not started until June 2009. Until then, he was under a pact with Warner Bros. Television, where he ran One Tree Hill. His agreement with Warner Bros. called for him to continue as executive producer and showrunner on One Tree Hill returning for the ninth and final season in January 2012. The move to tap Schwahn to conceive a contemporary version of Melrose Place resembles The CW and CPT's decision to have Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas pen the original script for 90210. In early 2009, it was announced Schwahn would not be working on the project.

Sexual harassment allegations

On November 12, 2017, TV writer Audrey Wauchope wrote on Twitter that she and her female writing partner were sexually harassed by Schwahn while working on One Tree Hill. Female cast members supported the allegations, and Hilarie Burton and Danneel Harris alleged that they had also been sexually harassed by Schwahn. The male stars of One Tree Hill released their own statements supporting their female co-stars and crew members. Schwahn was also accused by cast members of The Royals. Twenty-five female cast and crew members of the show released their own open letter stating that they, too, had been subjected to sexual harassment by Schwahn throughout the run of the show. In light of the allegations, Schwahn was suspended and ultimately fired from The Royals. Schwahn has no production credits since 2017, and has not publicly addressed any of his past actions since then either.

Filmography

Crew

::data[format=table title="Film"]

Year	Title	Credit	Notes
1997	35 Miles from Normal	Writer and director	Independent film
2000	Whatever It Takes	Writer and producer
2004	The Perfect Score	Writer
2005	Coach Carter	Writer
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::data[format=table title="Television"]

Year	Title	Credit	Notes
2003–2012	One Tree Hill	Series creator, writer, director, and executive producer
2010	Spy School for Girls	Series co-creator;
Writer and executive producer	Series production canceled
Nashville	Co-writer and executive producer	Series production canceled; co-produced by Brad Paisley
2012	Shelter	Series creator, writer and executive producer	Pilot filmed
2015–2018	The Royals	Series creator;
Writer, director, and executive producer
::

Cast

::data[format=table title="Film and Television"]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	Colin Fitz Lives!	Venice Beach Fan
2006–2008	One Tree Hill	Max	2 episodes
::

References

(December 14, 2008). "New 'Melrose Place' lands writer".
(January 15, 2009). "Are One Tree Hill, Supernatural and Smallville Safe?".
"'One Tree Hill' & 'The Royals' Creator Mark Schwahn Accused Of Sexual Harassment By 'OTH' Writer, Joined By Cast & Crew". Deadline.
"'One Tree Hill' creator Mark Schwahn has been suspended from E!'s 'The Royals' after 18 women came together to accuse him of sexual harassment".
Holloway, Daniel. (November 17, 2017). "'One Tree Hill' Cast, Crew Detail Assault, Harassment Claims Against Mark Schwahn (EXCLUSIVE)". [[Variety (magazine).
"'One Tree Hill's' Male Stars Support Cast, Crew Accusing Creator Mark Schwahn of Sexual Harassment". Variety.
Gonzalez, Sandra. (November 16, 2017). "The Royals Creator Suspended After Sexual Harassment Allegations". CNN.
Rice, Lynette (16 November 2017). [https://ew.com/tv/2017/11/16/the-royals-sexual-misconduct-mark-schwahn/ "The Royals cast and crew make sexual misconduct claims against Mark Schwahn"], ''Entertainment Weekly''.
Otterson, Joe. (December 21, 2017). "''Royals'' Creator Mark Schwahn Fired Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations". Variety.

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