The Coen Brothers

Joel and Ethan Coen (b. 1954, 1957) started their careers in obscurity on a shoestring budget cajoled from family and friends. Working entirely outside the studio system, they scored an unlikely first hit in 1984 with their postmodern noir film, "Blood Simple". Two decades and a dozen movies later, the Coens are now among the best-known writer/directors in Hollywood, turning out major studio releases featuring stars such as George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Tom Hanks.