Mark Handley is a playwright and screenwriter. He was born in Hollywood, California on March 5, 1956. He graduated from New Trier High School East in 1974. In 1977, he and his wife moved to the Pacific Northwest where they lived in isolation in a log cabin that they built themselves. He is best known for his play Idioglossia, which was later produced as Jodie Foster's film, Nell. Nell was co-written by Mr. Handley and British Dramatist William Nicholson (Shadowlands). Nell was the first production of Jodie Foster's company Egg Pictures and was directed by Michael Apted. He currently teaches a screenwriting course in Seattle, Washington.