30 years later, Edward Burns brings together ‘The Family McMullen’

30 years later, Edward Burns brings together ‘The Family McMullen’

Here Edward Burns is, skipping lightly over a 30 year gap, writing, directing and co-starring in “The Family McMullen,” Friday’s sequel to what still stands as one of the most astonishing debuts in Hollywood history. Burns, now 57, was a lowly production assistant on “Entertainment Tonight” when Robert Redford came to promote his movie “Quiz Show.” Burns broke protocol to ask this legendary supporter of independent American cinema if he would re…

Edward Burns on The Family McMullen, His Underseen Films, and Getting Tom Petty to Score His Second Movie

Edward Burns’ career is a fascinating one. The lifelong New Yorker has a discovery story that is too good to be true. After putting together $25,000, he made an indie film on the cheap over the weekends with a small crew and local cast of actors. He was working as an assistant at Entertainment Tonight at the time, and was able to get a copy of his film, The Brothers McMullen, into the hands of Robert Redford when he came to the New York set to b…