In Memoriam: Bettina Gilois, 1961-2020

Bettina Gilois, an award-winning screenwriter and an assistant professor in the Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University in Orange California, died in her sleep on July 5. She was 58 years old and had suffered from cancer.

A native of Berlin, Germany, Gilois earned a bachelor’s degree at Barnard College in New York City, where she majored in art history. She held a master of fine arts degree from Antioch University in Los Angeles. She also taught at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

Gilois’ screen credits include Disney’s Glory Road and Mcfarland, USA with Kevin Costner, also the HBO film, Bessie, starring Queen Latifah, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. She was the co-author of Billion Dollar Painter: The Triumph and Tragedy of Thomas Kinkade Painter of Light (Hachette Books, 2014) and Mi Vida Loca: The Crazy Life of Johnny Tapia (Taylor Trade Publishing, 2006).