Biography: James Dalessandro (born 1948) is an American writer and filmmaker. He is best known for his historical-fiction novel 1906, based on events surrounding the Great San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906. A film adaptation of 1906, based on both the novel and Dalessandro's screenplay, has been in development at Warner Bros. and Pixar Animation Studios, in association with Walt Disney Pictures. Screenwriter and director Brad Bird has been developing a project based on the novel.