David Winters (April 5, 1939 – April 23, 2019) was an English-born American actor, dancer, choreographer, producer, distributor, director and screenwriter. At a young age, he acted in film and television projects such as ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...

''; '' Naked City''; ''

Mister Peepers ''Mister Peepers'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from July 3, 1952, to June 12, 1955. Overview Wally Cox starred as Robinson J. Peepers, Jefferson City's junior high school science teacher. Others in the cast included Tony Randall a ...

''; '' Rock, Rock, Rock''; and ''

Roogie's Bump ''Roogie's Bump'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Harold Young and written by Jack Hanley and Dan Totheroh. The film stars Robert Marriott, Ruth Warrick, Olive Blakeney, Robert F. Simon, William Harrigan and David Winters. The film ...

.'' He received some attention in Broadway musicals for his roles in ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

'' (1957) and ''

Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...

'' (1959). In the film adaptation of ''

'' (1961) he was one of the few to be re-cast. It became the highest grossing motion picture of that year, and won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Winters became a dance choreographer. On films, he choreographed several projects with

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

and

Ann-Margret Ann-Margret Olsson (born April 28, 1941) is a Swedish–American actress, singer, and dancer. As an actress and singer, she is credited as Ann-Margret. She is known for her roles in '' Pocketful of Miracles'' (1961), ''State Fair'' (1962), '' ...

starting with ''

Viva Las Vegas ''Viva Las Vegas'' is a 1964 American musical film directed by George Sidney and starring Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret. The film is regarded by fans and film critics as one of Presley's best films, and it is noted for the on-screen chemistry be ...

'' (1964). Other dance choreography credits include ''

T.A.M.I. Show ''T.A.M.I. Show'' is a 1964 concert film released by American International Pictures. It includes performances by numerous popular rock and roll and R&B musicians from the United States and England. The concert was held at the Santa Monica Civ ...

'' (1964), ''

Send Me No Flowers ''Send Me No Flowers'' is a 1964 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison from a screenplay by Julius Epstein, based on the play of the same name by Norman Barasch and Carroll Moore, which had a brief run on Broadway in 1960. ...

'' (1964), '' Billie'' (1965), '' A Star Is Born'' (1976), etc. On television, he was frequently seen with his troupe on a variety of shows choreographing popular dances of the 1960s. At the Emmy Awards, for the

television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...

Movin' with Nancy ''Movin' with Nancy'' is a television special featuring Nancy Sinatra in a series of musical vignettes featuring herself and other artists. Produced by Nancy's production company, Boots Enterprises, Inc., and sponsored by Royal Crown Cola, the s ...

'' (1967), his choreography was nominated in the category Special Classification of Individual Achievements. In the 1970s, Winters produced and directed television specials including ''

Raquel! ''Raquel!'' was an April 26, 1970 CBS television special starring Raquel Welch, Tom Jones, Bob Hope and John Wayne executive produced, directed and choreographed by David Winters produced by Winters' company Winters-Rosen for CBS-TV, originally ...

'' (1970), '' Once Upon a Wheel'' (1971), ''Timex All-Star Swing Festival'' (1972), etc. In films, he directed '' Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare'' (1976), ''

The Last Horror Film ''The Last Horror Film'' (a.k.a. ''Fanatic'') is a 1982 American horror comedy film directed by David Winters and starring Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro. The director, David Winters, filmed on location at the Cannes Film Festival. Plot Vi ...

'' (1982), '' Thrashin'' (1986), etc. From the 1980s to the 1990s, Winters ran

Action International Pictures Action International Pictures (AIP), also known as West Side Studios, is a film production and distribution company founded in 1986. AIP was founded by David Winters, David A. Prior and Peter Yuval. It also provided video distribution for many ...

where he would produce, distribute and sometime direct action oriented films. From the 2000s to his death in 2019, Winters continued to produce and direct.

Early life

Winters was born David Weizer in London, England, the son of Jewish parents Sadie and Samuel Weizer. His family relocated to the United States in 1953. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1956. Winters was interested in dancing at an early age.

Career

Early 1950s-1967: Early roles, stage musicals, and dance choreography

At age 12, Winters was shining shoes to pay for dance classes afraid his mother would not approve. She eventually caught him and made a deal to make him stop: if he did his bar mitzvah, she would bring him to dance classes. That same year, Winters was spotted by a talent agent while dancing in a Manhattan restaurant. From this point he began acting and dancing on television. By the age of 14 he had worked with

Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...

Martha Raye Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, 1916 – October 19, 1994), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television. She also acted in plays, including Broadway. She was honored ...

Mindy Carson Mindy Carson is an American former traditional pop vocalist. She was heard often on radio during the 1940s and 1950s. Early years Carson grew up in the Bronx, graduating from James Monroe High School. After graduation, she took a position as typ ...

, Sarah Churchill,

Wally Cox Wallace Maynard Cox (December 6, 1924 – February 15, 1973) was an American actor. He began his career as a standup comedian and then became the title character of the popular early U.S. television series ''Mister Peepers'' from 1952 to 19 ...

, George Jessel,

Ella Raines Ella Wallace Raines (August 6, 1920 – May 30, 1988) was an American film and television actress. Early life Raines was born Ella Wallace Raines on August 6, 1920, in Fall City, Washington. She studied drama at the University of Washingto ...

Paul Douglas Paul Howard Douglas (March 26, 1892 – September 24, 1976) was an American politician and Georgist economist. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois for eighteen years, from 1949 to 1967. During his Senat ...

, and Perry Como. He also was heard on radio plays with Donald Cook and

Joseph Cotten Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr. (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original stage productions of '' The Philadelphia Story'' and '' Sab ...

. It led him to act in over 15 television shows during a span of 10 years, including ''

'', '' Naked City'', ''The Red Buttons Show'', ''

,'' etc. In 1954, Winters acted in the film ''

''. That year he performed in the first Broadway revival of ''

On Your Toes ''On Your Toes'' (1936) is a musical with a book by Richard Rodgers, George Abbott, and Lorenz Hart, music by Rodgers, and lyrics by Hart. It was adapted into a film in 1939. While teaching music at Knickerbocker University, Phil "Junior" Dolan ...

'', directed by

George Abbott George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887 – January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades. Early years Abbott was born in Forestville, New Yo ...

and choreographed by George Balanchine. It opened on October 11, 1954 at the

46th Street Theatre The Richard Rodgers Theatre (formerly Chanin's 46th Street Theatre and the 46th Street Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 226 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by He ...

, where it ran for 64 performances. On November 23 of that year he acted in another Broadway play called ''Sandhog''. In 1956 he acted in '' Rock, Rock, Rock!''. Gee Officer Krupke West Side Story

In 1957, he acted in '' Shinbone Alley''. The Broadway production opened on April 13, 1957 at

The Broadway Theatre The Broadway Theatre (formerly Universal's Colony Theatre, B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre, Earl Carroll's Broadway Theatre, and Ciné Roma) is a Broadway theater at 1681 Broadway (near 53rd Street) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan i ...

and closed on May 25, 1957 after 49 performances. Later that year, he played the role of Baby John in the original Broadway production of ''

''. Conceived, directed and choreographed by

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

, it ran for 732 performances before going on tour. The production was nominated for six

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

s including Best Musical. On May 21, 1959, he starred as Yonkers in the original production of ''

.'' The show was produced by David Merrick and directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins Critic Frank Rich has referred to it as one of the more influential stagings of a musical in American theatrical history. The original production received eight

nominations, including Best Musical. It closed on March 25, 1961 after 702 performances and two previews. In 1960, he acted in the Broadway musical ''One More River.'' In 1961, he appeared as A-Rab in the movie version of ''

'' directed by

Robert Wise Robert Earl Wise (September 10, 1914 – September 14, 2005) was an American film director, producer, and editor. He won the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for his musical films ''West Side Story'' (1961) and ''The Sound of ...

and Jerome Robbins. He and Carole D'Andrea, Jay Norman, Tommy Abbott,

William Bramley William Bramley (April 18, 1928 – October 28, 1985) was an American actor. Biography Born in New York, New York, Bramley graduated from Bucknell University in 1953. While there, he was involved with the Cap and Dagger Club theatrical organiza ...

and

Tony Mordente Tony Mordente (born December 3, 1935) is an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and television director. Career Born in New York City, Mordente attended the High School of Performing Arts and made his professional dance debut at the Jaco ...

were the only actors to have been cast in both the original Broadway show and the motion picture. The film was the highest grossing motion picture of that year, going on to win 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. During that time and moving forward to 1967, he acted regularly on television, he was seen in ''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was o ...

'', ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'', ''

The Dick Powell Show ''The Dick Powell Show'' is an American television anthology series that ran on NBC from September 26, 1961, until September 17, 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. Overview The series was an anthology of various dramas ...

,'' and more. In 1964, he choreographed

George Sidney George Sidney (October 4, 1916May 5, 2002) was an American film director and producer who worked primarily at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His work includes cult classics '' Bye Bye Birdie'' (1963) and ''Viva Las Vegas'' (1964). With an extensive backgr ...

's ''

'' starring

and

. Ann-Margret, who was his student at the time, recommended him for the job. That year Winters choreographed

Norman Jewison Norman Frederick Jewison (born July 21, 1926) is a retired Canadian film and television director, producer, and founder of the Canadian Film Centre. He has directed numerous feature films and has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best ...

's ''

,''

Don Weis Don Weis (May 13, 1922 – July 26, 2000) was an American film and television director. Biography Weis was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Emma (née Wiener; 1889–1971) and Meyer Weis (1886-1942). He graduated from the University of Southern ...

' ''Pajama Party'', and Steve Binder's ''

''. He also had a role in the film ''The New Intern''. On September 21, the variety show ''

Shindig! ''Shindig!'' is an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles,Boris Sagal's ''

Girl Happy ''Girl Happy'' is a 1965 American musical romantic comedy and beach party film starring Elvis Presley in his eighteenth feature. The movie won a fourth place prize Laurel Award in the category Top Musical of 1965. It featured the song " Puppet ...

'' and

Norman Taurog Norman Rae Taurog (February 23, 1899 – April 7, 1981) was an American film director and screenwriter. From 1920 to 1968, Taurog directed 180 films. At the age of 32, he received the Academy Award for Best Director for '' Skippy'' (1931). He i ...

's ''

Tickle Me ''Tickle Me'' is a 1965 American musical comedy western film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Elvis Presley as a champion rodeo bull rider and bronco buster. Presley won a 1966 Golden Laurel Award as best male actor in a musical film fo ...

.'' He also choreographed two Ann-Margret films: ''

Bus Riley's Back in Town ''Bus Riley's Back in Town'' is a 1965 American drama film written by William Inge, directed by Harvey Hart, and starring Ann-Margret and Michael Parks Michael Parks (born Harry Samuel Parks; April 24, 1940 – May 9, 2017) was an American ...

'' and '' Kitten with a Whip''. Another choreographer credit was Don Weis' '' Billie''. That year, he started to perform on television with his troupe, named the David Winters Dancers. That year, on the tv show '' Hullabaloo'', he choreographed popular dances of the 1960s, including the Watusi, and originated the Freddy. In 1966, he co-produced and choreographed the

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golde ...

television special ''

Lucy in London ''Lucy in London'' is a 1966 prime-time Television special, TV special produced and directed by Steve Binder, co-produced and choreographed by David Winters (choreographer), David Winters and sponsored by the Monsanto Company. The program starred ...

''. Also that year he acted in ''The Crazy-Quilt'' by

John Korty John Korty (June 22, 1936 – March 9, 2022) was an American film director and animator, best known for the television film '' The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman'' and the documentary '' Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen ...

, and The David Winters Dancers also appeared in the television special ''MJ's''. Finally he choreographed two more Ann-Margret films Boris Sagal's '' Made in Paris'', and George Sidney's ''

The Swinger ''The Swinger'' is a 1966 American sex comedy film directed by George Sidney and starring Ann-Margret and Anthony Franciosa Anthony George Franciosa (né Papaleo; October 25, 1928 – January 19, 2006) was an American actor most often billed ...

''. In 1967, Winters directed two episodes of the television show ''

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...

''. He choreographed Elvis Presley in '' Easy Come, Easy Go.'' With the David Winters Dancers, he appeared on the television special ''Go.'' That year, he was an associate director for the Broadway play ''Of Love Remembered,'' directed by

Burgess Meredith Oliver Burgess Meredith (November 16, 1907 – September 9, 1997) was an American actor and filmmaker whose career encompassed theater, film, and television. Active for more than six decades, Meredith has been called "a virtuosic actor" and "on ...

. Also in 1967, for his choreography on the

Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer and actress. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato), and is best known for her 1966 signature hit " These Boots Are Made for Walkin'. Nancy Sinatr ...

,'' he received an Emmy nomination in the category Special Classification of Individual Achievements.

1968 to 1986: Subsequent choreography, producing and directing

In 1968, he co-founded the production company Winters/Rosen which specialized in television specials. He choreographed and directed ''The Ann-Margret Show''. That year, separately from Winters/Rosen, he choreographed and performed with his troupe on the television special '' Monte Carlo: C'est La Rose,'' hosted by Princess

Grace Kelly Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Kelly ...

. In 1969, Winters directed and choreographed ''Ann-Margret: From Hollywood with Love'' (for which Winters received an Emmy nomination for dance choreography). Also that year, he produced and choreographed ''The Spring Thing''. On April 26, 1970

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

released

Raquel Welch Jo Raquel Welch ( Tejada; September 5, 1940) is an American actress. She first won attention for her role in '' Fantastic Voyage'' (1966), after which she won a contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British studio Hamm ...

's first television special ''

,'' Winters produced, directed and choreographed. On the day of the premiere, the show received a 51% share on the National ARB Ratings and an overnight New York Nielsen Rating of 58% share. In 1971, he produced and directed '' Once Upon a Wheel'', a documentary on auto racing. It is hosted and narrated by actor Paul Newman. That same year, he was an executive producer for

The 5th Dimension The 5th Dimension is an American popular music vocal group, whose repertoire includes pop, R&B, soul, jazz, light opera, and Broadway. Formed as the Versatiles in late 1965, the group changed its name to "the 5th Dimension" by 1966. Betwe ...

's television special ''The 5th Dimension Traveling Sunshine Show''. In 1972, he produced, directed and choreographed the television special '' The Special London Bridge Special'', starring Tom Jones, and

Jennifer O'Neill Jennifer O'Neill (born February 20, 1948) is a Brazilian-born American actress, model, author, and activist. She is known for her modeling and spokesperson work for CoverGirl cosmetics starting in 1963, and her starring role in the Oscar-winn ...

. That year, he produced ''Timex All-Star Swing Festival'' (which won the Peabody Award and a Christopher Award for Winters as its producer), a live concert with performances by jazz musicians

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Benny Goodman,

Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973), known as Gene Krupa, was an American jazz drummer, bandleader and composer who performed with energy and showmanship. His drum solo on Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of " Sing, Sing, ...

, etc. In 1973, he directed, choreographed and produced the television movie ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,'' starring Kirk Douglas. At the Emmy Awards it was nominated for outstanding achievement in makeup, costume design, and music direction. In 1975, Winters directed the

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

concert film '' Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare''. That same year, he produced the comedy ''

Linda Lovelace for President ''Linda Lovelace for President'', also known as ''Hot Neon'', is a 1975 American comedy film directed by Claudio Guzmán and starring Linda Lovelace, who achieved notoriety as the central character in the most profitable X-rated film of all time, ...

.'' In 1976, he choreographed

Frank Pierson Frank Romer Pierson (May 12, 1925 – July 22, 2012) was an American screenwriter and film director.Byrge, Duane (July 23, 2012). rank Pierson, Former Movie Academy President, Writer and Director, Dies at 87.''The Hollywood Reporter''Yardley, Wi ...

's '' A Star Is Born'', starring

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

. The following year he choreographed credits 22 episodes of TV show '' Donny & Marie.'' That year he also served as a creative consultant on Don Taylor's ''The Island of Dr. Moreau''. In 1978, he choreographed Steve Binder's ''

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''. In 1979 Winters directed the tennis sport comedy ''

Racquet A racket, or racquet, is a sports implement used for striking a ball or shuttlecock in games such as squash, tennis, racquetball, badminton and padel. In the strictest sense a racket consists of a handled frame with an open hoop across which a ...

'', starring

Bert Convy Bernard Whalen "Bert" Convy (July 23, 1933 – July 15, 1991) was an American actor, singer, game show host and panelist known for hosting '' Tattletales'', ''Super Password'' and ''Win, Lose or Draw''. Early life Convy was born in St. Loui ...

. That same year, he choreographed

Mark L. Lester Mark L. Lester (born November 26, 1946) is an American film director, screenwriter, and Film producer, producer. He is known as a prolific director of cult films, including the disco musical ''Roller Boogie'' (1979), the vigilante thriller fil ...

's ''

Roller Boogie ''Roller Boogie'' is a 1979 American romantic musical drama film starring Linda Blair and Jim Bray, a former competitive artistic skater from California. The film also stars Beverly Garland, Mark Goddard and Kimberly Beck, and is directed by M ...

''. Also in 1979, ''Diana Ross In Concert'' premiered on television, Winters conceived and directed the stage production. In 1980. Winters directed and choreographed the stage show ''Goosebumps''. In 1981, he choreographed and was creative consultant for the Diana Ross television special ''Diana''. In 1982, he produced, directed, wrote, and co-starred in the horror comedy ''

'', starring

Joe Spinell Joe Spinell (born Joseph Spagnuolo; October 28, 1936 – January 13, 1989) was an American character actor who appeared in films in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as various stage productions on and off Broadway. He played supporting roles in ''The ...

and

Caroline Munro Caroline Munro (born 16 January 1949)McFarlane, Brian (28 February 2014). ''The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition''. Oxford University Press. p. 538; is an English actress, model and singer known for her many appearances in horror, ...

. It played in film festivals. At the Sitges Film Festival it was part of their official selection, and won best cinematography. At the Saturn Awards the film was nominated for Best International film and Mary Spinell was nominated for best supporting actress. In 1984 he directed the documentary ''That Was Rock,'' hosted by

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

, and a television adaptation of ''

Steadfast Tin Soldier "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" ( Danish: ''Den standhaftige tinsoldat'') is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a tin soldier's love for a paper ballerina. The tale was first published in Copenhagen by C.A. Reitzel on 2 Octo ...

''. Also that year he worked as an artistic adviser on the film '' Blame it on the Night''. In 1985, he directed ''Girls of Rock & Roll''. In 1986, Winters directed the

sports film A sports film is a film genre in which any particular sport plays a prominent role in the film's plot or acts as its central theme. It is a production in which a sport, sporting event, athlete (and their sport), or follower of sport (and the s ...

'' Thrashin'', starring

Josh Brolin Joshua James Brolin (; born February 12, 1968) is an American actor. He has appeared in films such as ''The Goonies'' (1985), '' Mimic'' (1997), '' Hollow Man'' (2000), '' Grindhouse'' (2007), '' No Country for Old Men'' (2007), '' American Gan ...

, and

Pamela Gidley Pamela Catherine Gidley (June 11, 1965 – April 16, 2018) was an American actress and model. She began her career as an actress in 1986, debuting in the film ''Thrashin, before appearing in a number of films, including '' Dudes'' (1987), ''Ch ...

. Set in Los Angeles, it's about Cory (Brolin), a teenage competitive skateboarder, and his romance with Chrissy (Gidley). With a notable soundtrack, the film maintains a following. Prior to the casting of Brolin, Winters wanted Johnny Depp to play Cory. That same year, directed the action film ''Mission Kill'', with

Robert Ginty Robert Winthrop Ginty (November 14, 1948 – September 21, 2009) was an American actor, producer, screenwriter, and director perhaps best known for playing Thomas Craig Anderson on the television series '' The Paper Chase''. Early life Ginty wa ...

1987 to 2019: Later works

In 1987, Winters opened the production company,

. He hired director David A. Prior, with whom he would work regularly moving forward. That year they released '' Deadly Prey'', '' Aerobicide'', and '' Mankillers''. In 1988, he directed the action film ''Rage to Kill'' starring James Ryan. That year also saw the release of ''

Space Mutiny ''Space Mutiny'' (also known as ''Mutiny in Space'') is a 1988 South African - US space opera action film about a mutiny aboard the generation ship known as the ''Southern Sun''. The film has since developed a cult following after being featu ...

''. Winters was assigned to produce and direct the science fiction film He had to drop out at an early stage of filming due to the death of a close relative, and most of the film was eventually directed by Neal Sundstrom. Both were un-happy with the final product, and Winters attempted to have his name replaced with a fictional one, but due to his contract he was unable to do so. The film gained a cult status and was subject for a successful episode of the TV Show Mystery Science Theater 3000. That year, Winters produced ''Dead End City,'' ''Death Chase,'' ''Night Wars'', and ''Phoenix The Warrior''. In 1989, the action film ''Code Name Vengeance'' was released, with Winters directing and producing. Robert Ginty played the lead. Winters would go on to produce ''The Bounty Hunter'' (1989), ''Order of Eagle'' (1989)'','' '' Future Force'' (1989), ''Time Burst - The Final Alliance'' (1989), ''Deadly Reactor'' (1989)'','' ''Hell on the Battleground (1989),'' ''Jungle Assault'' (1989)'','' ''The Revenger'' (1990)'','' ''Fatal Skies'' (1990),' ''

Future Zone ''Future Zone'' is a 1990 science-fiction film written and directed by David A. Prior and starring David Carradine. It was the sequel to the 1989 film '' Future Force''. Synopsis John Tucker, a bounty hunter comes face to face with the most dang ...

'' (1990),' ''Deadly Dancer'' (1990)'','' ''Operation Warzone'' (1990)'','' '' Rapid Fire'' (1990)'', The Shooters'' (1990)'', The Final Sanction'' (1990)'', Lock 'n' Load'' (1990)'', Born Killer'' (1990)'','' ''Invasion Force'' (1990)'','' '' Firehead'' (1991),' ''Dark Rider'' (1991),' '' Raw Nerve'' (1991),' ''Maximum Breakout'' (1991)'','' ''Cop-Out'' (1991)'','' ''Presumed Guilty'' (1991)'','' ''The Last Ride'' (1991),' ''White Fury'' (1991)'','' ''Center of the Web'' (1992), ''Armed for Action'' (1992)'','' ''Blood on the Badge'' (1992)'','' and ''Double Threat'' (1993)''.'' In 1993, AIP was re-branded as West Side Studios with the intent to take a mainstream direction. Under that banner, he produced ''

Night Trap ''Night Trap'' is a 1992 interactive movie developed by Digital Pictures and published by Sega for the Sega CD. Presented primarily through full-motion video (FMV), ''Night Trap'' tasks the player to observe teenage girls having a sleepov ...

'' (1993), '' Raw Justice'' (1994), ''The Dangerous'' (1995), and ''Codename: Silencer'' (1995). In 1999, Winters produced ''Rhythm & Blues''. In 2002, he produced, directed, and co-starred the comedy film '' Welcome 2 Ibiza,'' which won the Bangkok Film Festival Audience Award. In 2003, he produced the horror film ''Devil's Harvest''. In 2005, he produced period film'' The King Maker''. In 2006, Winters acted in Kevin Connor's mini-series ''

Blackbeard Edward Teach (alternatively spelled Edward Thatch, – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. Little is known abou ...

''. In 2012, Winters acted in the art house film, ''

Teddy Bear A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy b ...

''. In 2015, '' Dancin': It's On!,'' a

dance film A dance film (also known as screen dance) is a film in which dance is used to reveal the central themes of the film, whether these themes be connected to narrative or story, states of being, or more experimental and formal concerns. In such films, ...

, premiered which Winters directed. For this project, he said he reconnected with his original passion for dancing. The film stars winners and runners-up of the tv shows, ''

So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and ha ...

'', and '' Dancing with the Stars,'' with

Witney Carson Witney Capri Carson McAllister (née Carson; born October 17, 1993) is an American professional Latin ballroom dancer and choreographer. She first gained attention in 2012, when the 18-year-old finished ladies' second runner-up in season nine o ...

as its lead. In 2018, Winters released his memoir ''Tough Guys Do Dance''.

Death

Winters died on 23 April 2019 at the age of 80, from

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Personal life

Friends with rock singer

upon directing the ''Welcome to My Nightmare'' Tour in the mid 1970s, he hired ballerina Sheryl Goddard who became Cooper's wife. Winters lived with Linda Lovelace as her boyfriend following her divorce from her first husband. Their relationship lasted until 1976. She credited him for bringing culture in her life. Winters was married at least three times. He had a brother, a daughter, two sons, a stepson, and a granddaughter.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Winters, David 1939 births 2019 deaths American male child actors American choreographers American male dancers American male film actors Jewish American male actors American film directors American film producers American male screenwriters American male television actors American television directors American television producers Burials at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery English male child actors English choreographers English male dancers English male film actors English film directors English film producers English male musical theatre actors English male screenwriters English male television actors English television directors English television producers English-language film directors English emigrants to the United States English Jews Male actors from London 20th-century English businesspeople 21st-century American Jews