He based the screenplay for Taxi Driver (1976) on his own experiences of living in Los Angeles, far from his familiar circle, feeling completely isolated, battling severe depression and contemplating suicide.
We have film critic Pauline Kael to thank for helping him start his career by writing him a letter of recommendation for film school.
He first directed Exorcist: The Beginning (2004), but his final version was rejected by the producers because it was not a marketable mainstream horror product. Schrader was replaced by Renny Harlin, who reshot roughly 80% of the film. Schrader received no credit for this version. However, on May 20, 2005, Morgan Creek Pictures released a limited version of Schrader's film, Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005). The DVD premiered on October 25, 2005. There now exist two completely different versions that share some story elements, some footage and some of the cast.
Like François Truffaut, Peter Bogdanovich, Jean-Luc Godard, Wim Wenders or Olivier Assayas, Schrader also began his film career as a film critic (for L. A. Free Press and Cinema Magazine).
Having been raised with Calvinist principles and strict parenting, he saw his first film, The Absent Minded Professor (1961), at the age of 17.
He wrote (or co-wrote) the screenplays for two "Best Picture" Oscar nominees (Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980)), yet after more than 40 years working in the industry, he received his first Oscar nomination in the "Best Screenplay" category (original or adapted) — nominated for First Reformed (2017).
He directed two Academy Award-nominated performances: James Coburn and Nick Nolte, both of whom appeared in Affliction (1997). Coburn won the Oscar for "Best Supporting Actor."
His all-time favorite films include Pickpocket (1959), That Afternoon in Autumn (1962) and Performance (1970).
His parents, Charles Allan and Joan (Fisher) Schrader, were strict Dutch Calvinists. His mother's family (originally named Visser) was Dutch, and his father was of German and English descent.
While writing Taxi Driver (1976), he envisioned Jeff Bridges as Travis Bickle, Cybill Shepherd as Betsy, Peter Boyle as Wizard, Harvey Keitel as Sport and an unknown actress as Iris.
He blamed the intervention of executives for the deliberate softening of Travis Bickle's racism in Taxi Driver (1976).
He received his bachelor's degree in 1968 from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a minor in theology.
In 2007, he served as president of the "Official Competition" jury at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival.
He received his master's degree in Film Studies from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
He has a daughter named Molly Johanna Schrader (born 1984) and a son named Sam Schrader (born 1988) with his wife Mary Beth Hurt.
He currently lives with his family in Westchester County, New York (2005).
In 1987, he was a member of the "Official Competition" jury at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival.
In his seventies, he repeatedly expressed his belief that the human race on Earth would be extinct by 2050.
In 1998, he was a "Dramatic" jury member at the Sundance Film Festival.
He was born on the same day as Danny Glover.
He is the younger brother of Leonard Schrader.
He is thanked in the credits of Bruce Springsteen's album "Born in the U. S. A." The reason is that Schrader had a film project by that title in the early 1980s and had designed it for Springsteen to act in and compose a song for. Although the singer turned down the offer, the title stayed in his mind and he initially used it in a song called "Vietnam," which later turned into the classic "Born in the U. S. A." and became a hit. Schrader's film became Light of Day (1987), for which Springsteen wrote the theme song and the lead role was given to Michael J. Fox.
He is the brother-in-law of Chieko Schrader.