Ken Sanzel


Ken Sanzel is an American film and television director, producer, writer, and former law enforcement officer. Sanzel spent a decade as an officer of the New York City Transit Police Department before becoming a screenwriter in the 90s.
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Career

Ken Sanzel worked as an officer of the New York City Transit Police Department for ten years. In 1990, Sanzel and his plainclothes partner encountered a pair of armed muggers IRT Subway train in Brooklyn attacking a couple with a baby. A shootout ensued in which one of the muggers fled while the other suffered a non-lethal gunshot wound and was quickly arrested. Sanzel took a shot in his left shoulder which left a bullet fragment embedded in his body. As a result of his actions Sanzel was awarded the New York City [Police Department Combat Cross] and Distinguished Duty Medal.
Sanzel began writing screenplays in the early 90s in his off hours from his job. Sanzel managed to achieve success thanks to a childhood friend who became a film executive leading to Savoy Pictures buying three of his screenplays and hiring him to write a fourth one. Sanzel left his role as a detective for the Transit Police Department not long thereafter.
As Sanzel had a relationship with CBS, regularly selling them pilots. Then chairwoman Nina Tassler asked him to come on board the first season of Numb3rs to help improve the police dialogue. Sanzel began regularly collaborating with creators Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, which led to him becoming a regular contributor on the series, writing and directing a few episodes.
Following his work on Numb3rs, Sanzel was hired by CBS to serve as showrunner and executive producer for the first season of Blue Bloods. By August 2010, it was reported that Sanzel had exited Blue Bloods as showrunner due to creative differences with star Tom Selleck with Sanzel favoring more compelling procedural storylines while Selleck favored softer character focused material.
In April 2012, it was reported Sanzel had signed an overall deal with Universal Television.
In May 2018, it was reported that Sanzel would write and direct Kill Chain, an action-thriller for Millennium Films starring Nicolas Cage.

Filmography

Films

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerNotes
1998The Replacement Killers
1998Scar City
2002Lone Hero
2015Blunt Force Trauma
2019Kill Chain
TBABest Pancakes in the County

Television

YearTitleCreatorWriterProducerNotes
1997LawlessWrote and produced the original pilot which went unused after Frank Lupo became showrunner.
1999Dodge's CityAlso director, Unsold Pilot for MTV/UPN
2005Jonny Zero
2005Numb3rsConsulting Producer, 104 episodes
2010Blue BloodsExecutive Producer, Showrunner, 6 episodes
2010NomadsExecutive Producer, Unsold Pilot for The CW
2012NYC 22
2012Ironside
2019Reef Break