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David Kirschner

{{Short description|American producer and screenwriter}}

{{Infobox person

| name = David Kirschner

| image = David Kirschner by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| caption = Kirschner at the 2024 WonderCon

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|5|29}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| alma mater = USC School of Cinematic Arts

| years_active = 1983–present

| occupation = {{flatlist|

  • Film producer
  • television producer
  • screenwriter

}}

}}

David Maxwell Kirschner (born May 29, 1955) is an American film and television producer and screenwriter. His producing credits include Don Bluth's An American Tail (also wrote) and Titan A.E. animated features as well as the Child's Play horror franchise.

Career

After studying at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, Kirschner began his career designing album cover art for Neil Diamond, most notably Neil Diamond's The Jazz Singer, and illustrating characters for the Muppets and Sesame Street. In 1983, Kirschner created and released children's book series Rose Petal Place, which spawned two Television specials, toys, clothing, and a wide array of licensed consumer products. In 1986, Kirschner created and executive produced An American Tail, which was co-executive produced by Steven Spielberg, and, at its release, was the highest-grossing non-Disney produced animated feature of all time. It was followed by its theatrical sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991), the television series Fievel's American Tails, and two direct-to-video sequels. In 1986, David Kirschner signed a deal with United Artists Pictures and MGM/UA Television for development, production and distribution of major motion picture and television projects for a two-year deal.{{Cite news|date=1986-09-03|title=Kirschner Pacts At UA For Pictures, MGM/UA To Work On Television|page=4|work=Variety}} Kirschner was appointed chairman of Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1989, where he wrote / created and executive produced many films, specials and shows, including Wake, Rattle & Roll, Gravedale High and The Pirates of Dark Water.

Kirschner is also creator of the Chucky animatronic doll which is featured in the Chucky series. He has produced all seven films in the original franchise, including the recent Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky, direct-to-video films made by Universal 1440 Entertainment. Other notable productions include 1997's Cats Don't Dance, winner of the 25th annual Annie Award for Best Animated Feature,{{cite web |url=http://www.annieawards.com/25thannieawardwinners.htm |title=25th Annual Annie Award Nominess and Winners |access-date=2007-04-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430031526/http://www.annieawards.com/25thannieawardwinners.htm |archive-date=2007-04-30 }} 2006's Curious George, based upon the book series of the same name, Martian Child, and Golden Globe-nominated Miss Potter. His 2010s/2020s work includes executive producer on Curious George, Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney+), Cult of Chucky (for Universal 1440 Entertainment), Random (In Pre-Production for The Weinstein Company) and Garden District (In-Development for Dimension Films). Kirschner is currently head of his own production company, David Kirschner Productions.

Filmography

= Films =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+

! rowspan="2" |Title

! rowspan="2" |Year

! colspan="3" |Functioned as

! rowspan="2" |Notes

Producer

!Executive
producer

!Writer

scope="row" |An American Tail

|1986

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes|Creator / Story}}

|Animated

scope="row" |Child's Play

|1988

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Also created dolls

scope="row" |Child's Play 2

|1990

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Also created dolls

scope="row" |Child's Play 3

|1991

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Also created dolls

scope="row" |An American Tail: Fievel Goes West

|1991

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes|Creator}}

|Animated

scope="row" |Once Upon a Forest

|1993

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Animated

scope="row" |Hocus Pocus

|1993

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes|Story}}

|

scope="row" |The Flintstones

|1994

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|

scope="row" |The Pagemaster

|1994

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|Live action / animated

scope="row" |Cats Don't Dance

|1997

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Animated

scope="row" |Bride of Chucky

|1998

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Also created dolls

scope="row" |Titan A.E.

|2000

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Animated

scope="row" |Frailty

|2001

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

scope="row" |Secondhand Lions

|2003

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

scope="row" |Seed of Chucky

|2004

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Also created dolls

scope="row" |Thru the Moebius Strip

|2005

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Animated

scope="row" |Curious George

|2006

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Animated

scope="row" |Miss Potter

|2006

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

scope="row" |Martian Child

|2007

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

scope="row" |Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey!

|2009

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated / Direct-to-DVD

scope="row" |Curse of Chucky

|2013

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Also created dolls / Direct-to-DVD

scope="row" |Kristy

|2014

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

scope="row" |Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle

|2015

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated / Direct-to-DVD

scope="row" |Cult of Chucky

|2017

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Also created dolls / Direct-to-DVD

scope="row" |Curious George: Royal Monkey

|2019

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated / Direct-to-DVD

scope="row" |Curious George: Go West, Go Wild

|2020

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated / Direct-to-streaming

scope="row" |Curious George: Cape Ahoy

|2021

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated / Direct-to-streaming

scope="row" |Hocus Pocus 2

|2022

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes|Story}}

|Direct-to-streaming

scope="row" |Light of the World

|2025

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Animated

= Television films and specials =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

! rowspan="2" |Title

! rowspan="2" |Year

! colspan="3" |Functioned as

! rowspan="2" |Notes

Producer

!Executive
producer

!Writer

scope="row" |Rose Petal Place

|1984

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes|Creator}}

|Animated special

scope="row" |Rose Petal Place: Real Friends

|1985

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes|Creator}}

|Animated special

scope="row" |...Where's Rodney?

|1990

|{{Yes}}

|{{No}}

|{{No}}

|Unsold pilot

scope="row" |Poochinski

|1990

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes|Story}}

|Unsold pilot

scope="row" |The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story

|1990

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes|Story}}

|

scope="row" |The Last Halloween

|1991

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Live action / animated special

scope="row" |Monster in My Pocket: The Big Scream

|1992

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated special

scope="row" |The Halloween Tree

|1993

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated

scope="row" |The Town Santa Forgot

|1993

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated special

= Television series =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+

! rowspan="2" |Title

! rowspan="2" |Year(s)

! colspan="3" |Functioned as

! rowspan="2" |Notes

Creator

!Executive
producer

!Writer

scope="row" |Gravedale High

|1990

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated (13 episodes)

scope="row" |Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures

|1990

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated (13 episodes)

scope="row" |Wake, Rattle and Roll

|1990–1991

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Live action / animated (50 episodes)

scope="row" |The Pirates of Dark Water

|1991–1993

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated (21 episodes)

scope="row" |Fievel's American Tails

|1992

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Animated (13 episodes) / Also creative consultant

scope="row" |Fish Police

|1992

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated (6 episodes)

scope="row" |The Addams Family

|1992–1993

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated (21 episodes)

scope="row" |Capitol Critters

|1992–1996

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated (13 episodes)

scope="row" |Earth: Final Conflict

|1997–2002

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|Executive producer (110 episodes) / Teleplay (Episode: "Law & Order")

scope="row" |Five Days to Midnight

|2004

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Mini-series (5 episodes)

scope="row" |Curious George

|2006–2022

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Animated (198 episodes + 3 specials)

scope="row" |Chucky

|2021–2024

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|24 episodes / Also created dolls

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb name|0456946}}

{{Authority control}}

{{David Kirscher}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirschner, David}}

Category:1955 births

Category:American animated film producers

Category:American illustrators

Category:American male screenwriters

Category:American television producers

Category:Animation screenwriters

Category:Film producers from California

Category:Hanna-Barbera people

Category:Universal Animation Studios people

Category:Living people