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Peter Nowalk
open-in-new
<h2 id="early-life">Early life</h2> <p>Nowalk was raised in <a href="/facts/Point_Pleasant%2c_New_Jersey/z9H5MNtR">Point Pleasant, New Jersey</a>, and graduated from <a href="/facts/Point_Pleasant_Borough_High_School/3pM7njzW">Point Pleasant Borough High School</a> in 1996.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> Speaking of his childhood, he has stated "I think my family's really nice, where I grew up was really pretty and nice, and I wanted to go to the dark side because my life wasn't dark. The TV shows I like are all twisted and dark."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>Nowalk attended <a href="/facts/Brown_University/o9MRu4jx">Brown University</a> in <a href="/facts/Providence%2c_Rhode_Island/77kh9zJT">Providence, Rhode Island</a>, where he graduated in 2000 with a <a href="/facts/Bachelor_of_Arts/2pa1nwfR">Bachelor of Arts</a> degree in American civilization.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> He is openly gay.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="career">Career</h2> <p>Nowalk co-wrote <i>The Hollywood Assistants Handbook: 86 Rules for Aspiring Power Players</i>, published by <a href="/facts/Workman_Publishing_Company/zFq0mMyj">Workman Publishing Company</a> in 2008.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> In the same year, Nowalk was hired as a writer for the <a href="/facts/Shonda_Rhimes/5YA1v1QB">Shonda Rhimes</a> medical drama series <a href="/facts/Private_Practice_(TV_series)/bEnuxulp"><i>Private Practice</i></a>. After a few months, Nowalk began writing for Rhimes' <i><a href="/facts/Grey%2527s_Anatomy/sYeG8npL">Grey's Anatomy</a></i> as recurring writer and later executive story editor and supervising producer.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> He is also co-executive producer of <i><a href="/facts/Scandal_(TV_series)/SAcDllNe">Scandal</a></i>. Nowalk wrote "<a href="/facts/Everything%2527s_Coming_Up_Mellie/6v6MLJsr">Everything's Coming Up Mellie</a>", the seventh episode of the third season of <i>Scandal</i> in 2013. </p> <h3>How to Get Away with Murder</h3> <p>Nowalk was the creator and executive producer of the <a href="/facts/ABC_Studios/yESK1NP1">ABC</a> drama series, <i>How to Get Away with Murder</i> produced by <a href="/facts/Shondaland/bXIUTXJD">Shondaland</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> The series pilot on September 25, 2014, set a record for DVR playback viewers with 6 million, surpassing the January 27, 2014, record of 5.6 million set by the pilot of <i><a href="/facts/The_Blacklist_(TV_series)/dNTJcFjp">The Blacklist</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="credits">Credits</h2> <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Grey%2527s_Anatomy/sYeG8npL">Grey's Anatomy</a></i> (2008–2013, writer – 11 episodes, story editor – 40 episodes, supervising producer/producer - 69 episodes)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Scandal_(TV_series)/SAcDllNe">Scandal</a></i> (2013–2018, co-executive producer, writer – episode "<a href="/facts/Everything%2527s_Coming_Up_Mellie/6v6MLJsr">Everything's Coming Up Mellie</a>")</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/How_to_Get_Away_with_Murder/gFJsPTy1">How to Get Away with Murder</a></i> (2014–2020, executive producer, creator, <a href="/facts/Showrunner/6B6Jf4WS">showrunner</a>)</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3186529/">Peter Nowalk</a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a></li> <li><a href="https://x.com/petenowalk">Peter Nowalk</a> on <a href="/facts/Twitter/VWwDNGUm">Twitter</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Otterson, Joe (October 5, 2020). "ABC Gives Production Commitment to Silicon Valley Drama From 'How to Get Away With Murder' Creator". Variety. Retrieved June 10, 2021. <a href="https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/how-to-get-away-with-murder-creator-abc-silicon-valley-1234793071/" target="_blank">https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/how-to-get-away-with-murder-creator-abc-silicon-valley-1234793071/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Prudom, Laura (September 25, 2014). "'How to Get Away with Murder' Creator Peter Nowalk on Working with Shonda Rhimes, Diversity on TV". Variety. Retrieved June 10, 2021. <a href="https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/how-to-get-away-with-murder-creator-peter-nowalk-shonda-rhimes-viola-davis-diversity-1201313779/" target="_blank">https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/how-to-get-away-with-murder-creator-peter-nowalk-shonda-rhimes-viola-davis-diversity-1201313779/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Nowalk Graduates from Brown". The Ocean Star. August 25, 2000. Retrieved February 15, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Peter Nowalk of Point Pleasant was a May graduate of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island with a bachelor's of arts in American Civilization. Mr. Nowalk is a 1996 graduate of Point Pleasant Borough High School." <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/480880784/" target="_blank">https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/480880784/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Villarreal, Yvonne (April 2, 2020). "He Learned from Shonda Rhimes. But He Made 'How to Get Away With Murder' All His Own". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 11, 2021. <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-04-02/how-to-get-away-with-murder-pete-nowalk-viola-davis-shonda-rhimes" target="_blank">https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-04-02/how-to-get-away-with-murder-pete-nowalk-viola-davis-shonda-rhimes</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Pete Nowalk". American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140903202838/http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/showpage/showpage.aspx?program_id=003858&type=producer" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140903202838/http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/showpage/showpage.aspx?program_id=003858&type=producer</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Lambe, Stacy (October 16, 2014). "For Show Creator Peter Nowalk, How to Get Away with Murder Is Personal". Out. Retrieved March 22, 2025. <a href="http://www.out.com/entertainment/television/2014/10/16/show-creator-peter-nowalk-how-get-away-murder-personal" target="_blank">http://www.out.com/entertainment/television/2014/10/16/show-creator-peter-nowalk-how-get-away-murder-personal</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Stamm, Hillary; Nowalk, Peter (January 2008). The Hollywood Assistants Handbook: 86 Rules for Aspiring Power Players. Workman. ISBN 978-0761147466. <a href="978-0761147466" target="_blank">978-0761147466</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Radio, Southern California Public (November 13, 2014). "Pete Nowalk: From the Mailroom to 'Murder' Boss". Southern California Public Radio. Retrieved June 11, 2021. <a href="https://www.scpr.org/programs/the-frame/2014/11/13/40327/pete-nowalk-from-the-mailroom-to-murder-boss/" target="_blank">https://www.scpr.org/programs/the-frame/2014/11/13/40327/pete-nowalk-from-the-mailroom-to-murder-boss/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Pete Nowalk". American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140903202838/http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/showpage/showpage.aspx?program_id=003858&type=producer" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140903202838/http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/showpage/showpage.aspx?program_id=003858&type=producer</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"ABC Buys Legal Thriller from Shondaland & 'Grey's Anatomy' Writer". Deadline. August 19, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2014. <a href="https://deadline.com/2013/08/abc-buys-legal-thriller-from-shondaland-greys-anatomy-writer-567157/" target="_blank">https://deadline.com/2013/08/abc-buys-legal-thriller-from-shondaland-greys-anatomy-writer-567157/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"ABC Pilots 'How To Get Away With Murder' & 'Black-ish' Start Making Writer Deals". Deadline. May 8, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014. <a href="https://deadline.com/2014/05/abc-pilots-how-to-get-away-with-murder-black-ish-start-making-writer-deals-727119/" target="_blank">https://deadline.com/2014/05/abc-pilots-how-to-get-away-with-murder-black-ish-start-making-writer-deals-727119/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>[dead link]Halterman, Jim (September 10, 2014). "'How to Get Away with Murder' Creator Pete Nowalk on 'Awesomely Gay' Character". The Backlot. Retrieved September 18, 2014. <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" target="_blank">/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Kissell, Rick (September 30, 2014). "ABC's 'How to Get Away With Murder' Premiere Sets DVR Playback Record". Variety. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014. <a href="https://variety.com/2014/tv/ratings/abcs-how-to-get-away-with-murder-premiere-sets-DVR-playback-record-1201317320/" target="_blank">https://variety.com/2014/tv/ratings/abcs-how-to-get-away-with-murder-premiere-sets-DVR-playback-record-1201317320/</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>