Ted Kurdyla

Kurdyla began his film career as the location manager for the Brian De Palma film Blow Out, starring John Travolta.{{cite web|title=Blow Out (1981)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082085/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} The following year, he served as assistant unit production manager on Fighting Back, which starred Tom Skerritt.{{cite web|title=Fighting Back (1982/I)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083936/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

In 1984, Kurdyla worked as the production liaison for the New York unit of Once Upon a Time in America, which was directed by Sergio Leone and starred Robert De Niro.{{cite web|title=Once Upon a Time in America (1984)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087843/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

In 1985, Kurdyla served as assistant unit production manager on the Michael Cimino film Year of the Dragon, starring Mickey Rourke.{{cite web|title=Year of the Dragon (1985)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090350/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} The following year, he was production manager on the Robert Downey Sr. film America.{{cite web|title=America (1986)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090629/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} In 1987 he was unit manager on *batteries not included, starring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy.{{cite web|title=*batteries not included (1987)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092494/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

In 1988, Kurdyla was the production manager on the documentary Imagine: John Lennon,{{cite web|title=Imagine: John Lennon (1988)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095360/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} assistant unit production manager for Bright Lights, Big City, starring Michael J. Fox,{{cite web|title=Bright Lights, Big City (1988)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094799/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} and unit production manager for the Bud Yorkin comedy Arthur 2: On the Rocks, which starred Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli.{{cite web|title=Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094678/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

Kurdyla was the associate producer of the Walter Hill crime drama Johnny Handsome in 1989, starring Mickey Rourke,{{cite web|title=Johnny Handsome (1989)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097626/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} and ended the decade with the Chevy Chase comedy Fletch Lives, on which he served as production manager.{{cite web|title=Fletch Lives (1989)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097366/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

In 1990, Kurdyla was the production manager for the Robin Williams/Tim Robbins comedy Cadillac Man.{{cite web|title=Cadillac Man (1990)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099204/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} In 1992 he was the unit production manager for Final Analysis, which starred Richard Gere and Kim Basinger.{{cite web|title=Final Analysis (1992)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104265/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

In 1993, Kurdyla began producing television programs, serving that year as producer for Trouble Shooters: Trapped Beneath the Earth, starring Kris Kristofferson,{{cite web|title=Trouble Shooters: Trapped Beneath the Earth (1993)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108397/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} then as co-producer for The Cosby Mysteries in 1994.{{cite web|title=The Cosby Mysteries (1994) (TV)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109486/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

Also in 1994, Kurdyla produced the television sequel to Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, titled The Birds II: Land's End, featuring the star of the original film, Tippi Hedren.{{cite web|title=The Birds II: Land's End (1994) (TV)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109275/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} In 1996 he produced another television thriller, Twilight Man, which starred Tim Matheson.{{cite web|title=Twilight Man (1996) (TV)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117992/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

Toward the close of the decade, Kurdyla returned to theatrical cinema and served as executive producer for Fallen, starring Denzel Washington (1998),{{cite web|title=Fallen (1998)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119099/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} and, in 1999, was co-executive producer of The Confession, starring Ben Kingsley and Alec Baldwin.{{cite web|title=The Confession (1999)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128137/|publisher=IMDb.com}}

The new decade saw Kurdyla continuing his role as executive producer of both film and television, beginning with the war drama Tigerland, directed by Joel Schumacher,{{cite web|title=Tigerland (2000)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170691/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} and then the Bette Midler/Nathan Lane comedy Isn't She Great,{{cite web|title=Isn't She Great (2000)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0141399/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} both in 2000.

In 2002, Kurdyla collaborated again with Joel Schumacher, serving as executive producer for Schumacher's Phone Booth, starring Colin Farrell.{{cite web|title=Phone Booth (2002)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183649/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}}

From 2003–2005, Kurdyla produced two television mini-series for the USA Network: Helen of Troy (2003){{cite web|title=Helen of Troy (2003) (TV)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0340477/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} and Spartacus (2004).{{cite web|title=Spartacus (2004) (TV)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361240/combined|publisher=IMDb.com}} In 2005, Kurdyla produced and directed World S.U.M.O. Challenge: Battle of the Giants for the ESPN network.{{cite web|last=BWW News Desk|title=Macchio, Doherty Lead A ROOM OF MY OWN Industry Reading 9/20|url=http://offbroadway.broadwayworld.com/article/Macchio_Doherty_Lead_A_ROOM_OF_MY_OWN_Industry_Reading_920_20100823| publisher=BroadwayWorld.com}}

In 2010, Kurdyla entered the world of theater, teaming up with writer/director Charles Messina and serving as executive producer for the staged reading of the Vincent Gogliormella/Messina comedy 'Twas the Night Before a Brooklyn Christmas, which starred Mario Cantone and which was also directed by Messina.{{cite web| last=Lenzi|first=Linda|title=Photo Coverage: 'Twas the Night Before a Brooklyn Christmas' Industry Reading|url=http://broadwayworld.com/article/Photo_Coverage_Twas_the_Night_Before_a_Brooklyn_Christmas_Industry_Reading_20100512|publisher=BroadwayWorld.com|date=May 12, 2010}}

Later that year, Kurdyla executive produced a staged reading of the Messina penned and directed comedy A Room of My Own, starring Ralph Macchio, Cantone, and Gina Ferranti.{{cite web|last=Lenzi|first=Linda|title=Photo Coverage: Cantone, Macchio et al. in A ROOM OF MY OWN|url=http://broadwayworld.com/article/Photo_Coverage_Cantone_Macchio_et_al_in_A_ROOM_OF_MY_OWN_20100921|publisher=BroadwayWorld.com|date=September 21, 2010}}

In 2012, a play about the life of singer Dion DiMucci, in collaboration with the singer himself, is scheduled to debut in New York City, with Kurdyla serving as executive producer and with Messina signed on as writer and director.{{citation needed|date=October 2011}}

In the 1970s and 'early 80s, Kurdyla taught in the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District, where he directed the district's performing arts program. He took a five-month leave in 1981, in the wake of a suit against the school board, which denied him an administrator position. He did not return to teaching when the leave was up.{{cite news|title=Kurdyla given 5-month leave|url=http://matawan.ididigital.com/showpub.cgi?pub_title=The%20Independent&issueyear=1981&issuemonth=09&issueday=02&pagenum=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926213136/http://matawan.ididigital.com/showpub.cgi?pub_title=The%20Independent&issueyear=1981&issuemonth=09&issueday=02&pagenum=1|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 26, 2013|accessdate=2013-09-14|newspaper=The Independent|date=September 2, 1981}} {{cite news|title=Kurdyla explains why he quit|url=http://matawan.ididigital.com/showpub.cgi?pub_title=The%20Independent&issueyear=1982&issuemonth=09&issueday=22&pagenum=1|accessdate=2013-09-24|newspaper=The Independent|date=1982-09-22}} He also had taught in the district's Lloyd Road Middle School.{{cite news|last=Daly|first=Maureen|title=Students working long and hard to transform Matawan to Camelot|url=http://matawan.ididigital.com/showpub.cgi?pub_title=The%20Independent&issueyear=1975&issuemonth=02&issueday=26&pagenum=31&words=camelot|accessdate=2013-09-24|newspaper=The Independent|date=1975-02-26}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0475650/ Ted Kurdyla] on Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurdyla, Ted}}

Category:American film producers

Category:Living people

Category:Mater Dei High School (New Jersey) alumni

Category:American television producers

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)