Stephen Peace biography

Synopsis

Film Career

James Stephen Peace was born to two educators in San Diego, California on March 30, 1953. A standout athlete at Bonita Vista High School, Stephen Peace began his political career as student body president. After high school, he enrolled at the University of California, San Diego, and majored in political science. After graduating, Peace joined some college friends and launched Four Square Productions.

Inspired by the B-movies they'd seen as teenagers, the group produced the now-infamous cult horror film Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! in 1978. The plot involves killer tomatoes revolting against humanity, attacking people and wreaking general havoc. Scientists discover the tomatoes are vulnerable to bad pop songs and save the day.

The producers' eccentricities more than the film's success prompted three sequels, Return of the Killer Tomatoes! in 1988 (which starred then-unknown actor George Clooney), Killer Tomatoes Strike Back! (1990) and Killer Tomatoes Eat France! (1991). In addition to screenwriting and production, Peace had parts in all but the final film of the Tomatoes series.

Political Career

During this time, Peace was on another "crusade," working as a state legislator in the California Assembly between 1982 and 1992. As a moderate Democrat, Peace wanted to make government work better. Together, with four other like-minded colleagues, Peace formed the "Gang of Five," occasionally voting with Republicans for a good law instead of an ideological one. However, he was punished for his "treason" by party leaders, who stripped him of committee posts and banished him to a smaller office. They even took away his parking space.

Smart and well-connected, in 1992, Peace rebounded by being elected to the California State Senate. Renowned as a policy wonk, he tackled mind-numbing issues with a laser focus and was notorious for his outbursts at colleagues who "just didn't get it." He authored a series of criminal justice reform measures with a "one-strike-and-you're-out" provision that significantly increased penalties for violent criminals.

From 1995 to 1997, Peace chaired the Senate Committee on Energy and oversaw the debate on deregulation, a process that became known as the "Steve Peace Death March." The bill finally passed and was signed by Republican Governor Pete Wilson.

In 2000 and 2001, California was hit with an energy crisis and Stephen Peace was blamed for it, even though he didn't write the bill. He countered the energy crisis was due to lax oversight by state and federal regulators and unscrupulous power companies.