David Seltzer

David Seltzer
David Seltzer during the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike.
Born	1940 (age 70–71) Highland Park, Illinois
Occupation	Screenwriter Producer Director
Years active	1966–present

David Seltzer (born 1940) is an American screenwriter, producer and director, perhaps best known for writing The Omen (1976), and Bird on a Wire (1990), starring Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn. As writer/director, Seltzer's credits include the 1986 teen tragi-comedy Lucas starring Corey Haim, Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder, the 1988 comedy Punchline starring Sally Field and Tom Hanks, and 1992's Shining Through starring Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas.

Writing credits

Seltzer was uncredited for his contributions to the 1971 musical film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The author of the original book, Roald Dahl, is credited as sole screenwriter; however it has been revealed that Seltzer rewrote 30 percent of Dahl's script, adding such elements as the "Slugworth subplot", music other than the original Oompa Loompa compositions (including Pure Imagination, and The Candy Man Can), and the ending dialogue for the movie.^[1]

Seltzer's writing credits include the novel Prophecy, and the screenplays for the films My Giant, Six Weeks, Dragonfly and Bird on a Wire. He wrote and directed Lucas (1986), Punchline (1988) and Shining Through (1992).

Seltzer is reported to be writing an "Untitled Earthquake Project" for Hollywood director/producer J.J. Abrams, the plot of which is closely guarded, though it has been confirmed that the film is not a remake of 1974's disaster film Earthquake. ^[2] Seltzer is also reportedly working on a UK remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, from the novel by Patricia Highsmith.^[3]

TV appearances

Seltzer was featured in The Dialogue interview series. In a 90 minute interview with producer Mike DeLuca, Seltzer explained why he feels writing is like love-making, why there is no such thing as fiction, and why you don't win arguments with movie stars.

Sources

1. ^ J.M. Kenny (Director/Writer); Michael Böllner, Julie Dawn Cole, Rusty Goffe, Denise Nickerson, Peter Ostrum, David Seltzer, Mel Stuart, Paris Themmen, Gene Wilder, & David L. Wolper (Stars); Leslie Briscusse, Harper Goff, Anthony Newley, & Roald Dahl (Archive footage) (2001) (in English) (DVD). Pure Imagination: The Story of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (Documentary). Two Dog Productions Inc.. 
2. ^ Kit, Borys (2008-12-08). "J.J Abrams in for Earthquake Film". Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3id0839a35f93f478494fc466b33db0a25. Retrieved 2010-04-05. 
3. ^ Knowles, Harry (2002-02-20). "Remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train". Ain't It Cool News. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3id0839a35f93f478494fc466b33db0a25. Retrieved 2010-04-05. 

External links

• The Dialogue: Learn from the Masters Interview
• David Seltzer at the Internet Movie Database

Persondata
Name	Seltzer, David
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1940
Place of birth	Highland Park, Illinois
Date of death
Place of death