David Winters (choreographer)

1950s: Child to Teen actor

As a child, Winters began acting in various commercials, which led him to act in over 15 television shows, including Lux Video Theatre, Naked City, The Red Buttons Show, Mister Peepers and many more. He also had roles in his first two films, Rock, Rock, Rock, and Roogie's Bump, during this period.^[4][5] Onstage, he acted on Broadway in several plays. He gained attention by playing Baby John in West Side Story, and Yonkers in Gypsy, both highly successful Broadway dance musicals.

1961 to 1964: Major roles and dance choreographer breakthrough

In 1961, he appeared as A-Rab in the movie version of West Side Story. He and Carole D'Andrea, Jay Norman, Tommy Abbott, William Bramley and Tony Mordente 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. The feature established Winters as a young star. He began to release music and found steady work acting.^[6][7]

On TV, he acted in 17 high profile and award-winning television projects. Notable credits include 77 Sunset Strip, Perry Mason, and The Dick Powell Show.^[8][9][10] He also had a roles in the films, The New Intern by John Rich^[11]

In 1964, he was the dance choreographer for two major releases the concert film T.A.M.I. Show, showcasing all the major rock and R&B acts of the time The Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, and many more. The other was Viva Las Vegas starring Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret. Directed by golden age Hollywood musical director George Sidney, the film is regarded by fans and by film critics as one of Presley's best movies.

1965 to 1967: Emmy nominations. Producer and directorial debut

From 1965, he was seen regularly with his dance troupe on major TV shows such as Shindig! and Hullabaloo. To his resume, he added three more Elvis Presley films (Girl Happy, Tickle Me, Easy Come, Easy Go), four films with Ann-Margret (Kitten with a Whip, Bus Riley's Back in Town, Made in Paris, and The Swinger), as well as other projects including , Send Me No Flowers, Billie, and many more.^{[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]}

In 1966, he got his first producer credit in the TV movie Lucy in London, which starred the main character from The Lucy Show, Lucille Ball, as well as Buster Keaton, The Dave Clark 5, Wilfrid Hyde-White, and many others.^[21] Also that year he acted in The Crazy-Quilt by John Korty.^[22]

In 1967, he received what he has called his biggest honour, his Emmy nomination for the choreography of the TV movie Movin' with Nancy, in which he also acted alongside Nancy Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Lee Hazlewood, and Frank Sinatra.^[23] This was the first-ever Emmy nomination for a choreographer in the category Special Classification of Individual Achievements.^[24] His nomination led to the creation of the Emmy's Outstanding Achievement in Choreography award, for which he was nominated in 1970.^[25]

It was also in 1967 that Winters began to direct. His first assignments were for two episodes of the hit show The Monkees. Shortly after, he started producing, directing, and doing the choreography for star-studded TV specials. For the first two he reunited with Ann-Margret for The Ann-Margret Show co-starring Bob Hope, Carol Burnett, and Jack Benny.^[26] Also Ann-Margret: From Hollywood with Love (for which he received his second Emmy nomination for dance choreography), co-starring Lucille Ball, Dean Martin, and Larry Storch.^[27][28]

1970 to 1975: Directorial breakthrough

In the early 1970s, he continued directing, choreographing and producing for television. Projects included Raquel!, starring Raquel Welch, John Wayne, and Bob Hope; Once Upon a Wheel, starring Paul Newman, Mario Andretti, and Stephen Boyd; The Special London Bridge Special, starring Tom Jones, The Carpenters, and Rudolf Nureyev; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (nominated for three Emmys), starring Kirk Douglas, Stanley Holloway, and Donald Pleasence; and Timex All-Star Swing Festival (which won the Peabody Award and a Christopher Award for Winters as its producer), starring Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, and many more jazz musicians from this generation.^{[29][30][31][32][33][34][35]}

Winters began to produce and direct feature films in 1975. His first effort was the concert film Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare. Welcome to My Nightmare was a phantasmagorical exposition of music and theater themed around a nightmare experienced by a young boy named Steven. The show was a grand visual spectacle with an elaborate stage set, pre-filmed projections, four dancers, and elaborate costumes. Set in a graveyard/bedroom, a well-drilled band ran through the new album and a selection of older hits, while Alice encountered giant spiders, dancing skeletons, faceless silver demons and a 9-foot 'cyclops'. The film received rave reviews and is now considered to be one of the most creative rock shows ever made.^[36]

That same year he produced his second theatrical picture, the comedy Linda Lovelace for President, with his then-girlfriend Linda Lovelace. The film co-starred Micky Dolenz, Val Bisoglio, and Jack DeLeon.^[37]

1976 to 1986: Continuous career

Shortly after he was hired to choreograph A Star Is Born (1976), starring Barbra Streisand. It went on to win the Academy Award for best song as well as three other nominations.^[38][39]

Other choreographer credits attributed to him in this decade include the TV show Donny & Mary, the TV movie Star Wars Holiday Special, and the film Roller Boogie.^[40][41][42]

He produced three more films, one of which he directed: the 1979 sport comedy about tennis Racquet, starring Bert Convy, Phil Silvers, Edie Adams, and Björn Borg.^[43]

In the early 1980s, Winters was hired to choreograph the Emmy Award-winning TV show The Big Show, starring Dick Clark, a TV special, Dana, starring Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, and Michael Jackson, and the film Blame it on the Night based on a Mick Jagger story.^[44][45][46]

In 1982 he produced, directed, wrote, and co-starred in The Last Horror Film, starring Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro. He filmed the film guerrilla-style without permits during the Cannes Film Festival. The movie is about Vinny (Spinell) a New York City taxi driver who is obsessed with the international actress Jana Bates (Munro), known as the "queen of horror films". He goes to attend the Cannes Film Festival in France hoping to meet her and get her to star in his movie to kick start his career as a film director. Upon his arrival strange things start happening around Jana Bates, until it leads to a mysterious string of murders.^[47] It went on to win numerous awards, including the Paris Film Festival Award, the Los Angeles Golden Scroll Award, and the Sitges Film Festival Award.^[48][49] It is the last and second film to be theatrically released in which Joe Spinell is the lead, and also his last collaboration with Caroline Munro.

In 1984 he directed That Was Rock, a documentary about the concert films T.A.M.I. Show and The Big T.N.T. Show hosted by Chuck Berry.^[50] That year he also directed a 30 minutes version of Steadfast Tin Soldier for Television, with Robert Shields and Lorene Yarnell of the Shields and Yarnell fame.^[51]

In 1985, he directed Girls of Rock & Roll for Playboy. In the film, the talent scout for the magazine are scouting for girls to be the new rock girl band.^[52][53]

In 1986, he made the first film about skateboarding, Thrashin', starring Academy Award nominee Josh Brolin, Sherilyn Fenn, and Chuck McCann.^[54] Thrashin' is about Cory (Brolin) a teenage amateur skateboarder from out of town staying in Los Angeles with friends in hopes of competing and winning a downhill competition for which he has been training. During his stay in LA, he join a skate crew called "The Ramp Locals" and he falls for a beautiful blonde named Chrissy, who just happens to be the younger sister of Hook, the leader of "The Daggers", a tough punk rock skateboard crew of that area. Chrissy is not a Dagger herself but has come from her home in Indiana to stay with her brother in L.A. for the summer. Rivalries between the group grows as Cory faces the protective brother, and both prepare for skateboarding competition. The movie is notable for including soundtrack music by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (who play a set in the film), Fine Young Cannibals, and The Bangles before their rise to fame. The film continues to attract a cult following.^[55][56] That year was also a turning point for Winters. After being overruled on a casting decision for Thrashin', he made the professional decision to control all aspects of future projects. Josh Brolin was ultimately cast, but Winters' choice was a pre-21 Jump Street Johnny Depp.^[57][58]

That same year, he also released the action film Mission Kill, starring Robert Ginty, Merete Van Kamp, and Cameron Mitchell.^[59] On the set of the film he developed a friendship with Robert Ginty and Cameron Mitchell with whom he made multiple more films.

1987 to 1995: Executive producer, owner, and director for AIP

In 1987, Winters opened his own production company, Action International Pictures, which within five years produced, and distributed over 80 action films, as well as horror, post-apocalyptic, science fiction, and dance films.^[60][61]

That same year he hired filmmaker David A. Prior, who had already made two film with his brother, the actor and bodybuilder Ted Prior, as leading man. That year, Winters produced three films (Deadly Prey, Aerobicide, and Mankillers) written and directed by David A. Prior, two of them with Ted Prior as the leading man.^[62][63][64] These films have since gained an immense cult following and have been re-released on Blu-Ray.^[65][66] From that point on, David A. Prior wrote and directed 22 motion pictures for Action International Pictures, which Winters produced.^[67] As well, Ted Prior became a recurring star for AIP and had lead roles in eight of their films.^[68]

Also in 1987, Winters personally directed and produced his second collaboration with Robert Ginty in the action film, Code Name Vengeance, co-starring Shannon Tweed, Cameron Mitchell, Don Gordon, and James Ryan.^[69] The film was shot in South Africa, becoming the first of five film produced by Winters in this country.

In 1988, Winters was assigned to produce and direct the science fiction film Space Mutiny. 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.^[70] The film gained a cult status and was subject for a successful episode of the TV Show Mystery Science Theater 3000.

That same year he directed and produced the action film Rage to Kill starring James Ryan, Cameron Mitchell, Henry Cele, and Oliver Reed.^[71] He also produced Dead End City starring Dennis Cole which was the first AIP film with a veteran actor in the lead role he did not direct.^[72] The other 1980s films he produced with known actors are The Revenger with Oliver Reed, Order of Eagle with Frank Stallone, and Future Force with David Carradine.^[73][74][75]

In 1990, Winters produced and released nine action films including The Bounty Hunter, starring, directed, and written by Robert Ginty; Fatal Skies with Timothy Leary; and Future Zone, the sequel of Future Force, starring David Carradine.^[76][77][78]

In 1991, he again produced and released nine action films including Firehead, with Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer, and Chris Lemmon; Deadly Dancer with Shabba Doo; Dark Rider, starring Joe Estevez; and Raw Nerve, starring Glenn Ford (in his last film role), Jan-Michael Vincent, Sandahl Bergman and Traci Lords.^{[79][80][81][82]}

In 1992, he produced the film Center of the Web, starring Robert Davi, Tony Curtis, Charlene Tilton, and Charles Napier.^[83] He also produced Armed for Action and Blood on the Badge, both starring Joe Estevez.^[84][85]

In 1993, he produced Double Threat, with Sally Kirkland, Andrew Stevens, Richard Lynch, Sherrie Rose, Anthony Franciosa, and Chick Vennera.^[86] He also produced the horror-thriller film Night Trap (which won him and writer-director David A. Prior a Gold Award at the WorldFest Houston for best Fantasy/Horror), starring Robert Davi, Michael Ironside, Lesley-Anne Down, Margaret Avery, John Amos, Lydie Denier, and Mike Starr.^[87][88]

In 1994 he produced the thriller Raw Justice (which won him and writer-director David A. Prior a Bronze Award at the WorldFest Charleston for best Theatrical Feature Film – Dramatic), starring Pamela Anderson, David Keith, Robert Hays, and Stacy Keach.^[89][90]

In 1995, he produced two action films starring Robert Davi: The Dangerous co-starring Joel Grey, Michael Paré, John Savage, Elliott Gould, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and Codename: Silencer, co-starring Steven Bauer, Brigitte Nielsen, Sonny Chiba, Brigitte Nielsen, and Jan-Michael Vincent.^[91][92]

2000 to 2018: Current works

In the early 2000s Winters produced two films set in England, the comedy Rhythm & Blues starring Paul Blackthorne, and the horror film Devil's Harvest.^[93][94][95] In 2003, he produced, directed, and co-starred the comedy film Welcome 2 Ibiza (which won the Bangkok Film Festival Audience Award), starring Gary Busey and Mackenzie Astin.^[96][97]

In 2005, in Thailand, he produced the historical epic The King Maker with Gary Stretch and John Rhys Davies which won numerous prizes, and received a big theatrical release in Asia. It was distributed for Home Video by Sony in the USA, and by Universal in other countries. It was sold in thirty-six countries, making it the most successful Thai Film ever made.^{[98][99][100]}

In 2006, Winters returned to acting after a long hiatus in the mini-series Blackbeard, made for the Hallmark Channel. It was directed by Kevin Connor (North & South, Great Expectations, Frankenstein), and co-starred Angus Macfadyen, Richard Chamberlain, Stacy Keach, and Jessica Chastain.^[101]

In 2009, upon the passing of David Carradine in Bangkok, Thailand. Winters, who was living there at the time, came forward with alternate theories about the death of his friend.^[102].

In 2012, Winters acted in the art house drama film, Teddy Bear, for which the director Mads Matthiesen won the best directing award at the Sundance Film Festival. It won and was nominated for awards in over 11 film festivals including The European Film Awards, The Art Film Festival, and the Athens International Film Festival.^[103][104] In 2013, he acted again as the main villain in a Thai Martial Arts film, Dragon Wolf.^[105]

In 2015, Winters released his latest film, Dancin': It's On!, where he reconnected with his original passion for dancing. The film stars winners and runners-up of the successful TV shows, So You Think You Can Dance, and Dancing with the Stars. The movie is about Jennifer, a girl from Beverly Hills, California, falls in love with Ken, a boy who works at her father's hotel in Panama City, Florida. The two compete in a dancing competition after becoming romantically involved. It won the Wide Screen Film Festival for best director, best editor, and best score. It had a three-month theatrical run, and on DVD and Blu-ray was twice shipped in platinum quantities to major outlets throughout the United States.^[106]

On June 12th 2018, Winters released his memoir Tough Guys Do Dance. The book is about his journey from in the film industry.^[107][108]