Todd Durham

Todd Durham
Occupations
  • Filmmaker
  • comedy writer
  • novelist
Notable workHotel Transylvania franchise (creator)
Hyperspace AKA Gremloids
Visions of Sugar-Plums
Mr. Smith Goes To Hell
WebsiteToddDurham.com

Todd Durham is an American filmmaker, comedy writer, and novelist, best known as the creator of the concept for the Hotel Transylvania film franchise and as the creator of Lord Buckethead. Durham's works, including over forty screenplays and books, frequently combine fantasy storylines with character comedy.

Education and career

Durham studied comedy writing at USC under brothers Danny Simon and Neil Simon.[1]

Based on a half-hour 35mm film that he wrote and directed, a North Carolina movie studio signed Todd Durham to a three-picture feature deal.[2][3] Durham then wrote and directed a low-budget comedy film, Hyperspace, starring Chris Elliott and Paula Poundstone.[4] The film was the first appearance of the "intergalactic spacelord" Lord Buckethead, a persona used by several people to stand in British elections.[5] In 2017, Durham asserted his ownership of the character, and future incarnations have been authorized by him.[6]

Durham signed with Rick Jaffa, then agent at William Morris, and worked as an uncredited script doctor on comedy projects.[7][8] He wrote screenplays for comedy actors, directors, and producers, the National Lampoon film franchise, and Saturday Night Live alumni.[9][10][11] Durham ghostwrote celebrity autobiographies, and authored his first novel, Mr. Smith Goes To Hell, and its screenplay.[12]

Hotel Transylvania

During his years as a studio script doctor, Durham came up with the concept of Hotel Transylvania and brought it to Sony Pictures Animation.[1] The first film in the series, Hotel Transylvania, was released in 2012 with mixed reviews from critics.

References

  1. ^ a b "Columbia Pictures Press Kit - Hotel Transylvania" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-12-22. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  2. ^ "Change Of Pace". The Foothills View. April 29, 1983.
  3. ^ "Space Comedy Coming From Shelby". The Charlotte Observer. June 22, 1984.
  4. ^ "The Dixie DeMille". Gentleman's Quarterly. August 1986.
  5. ^ Saunders, Tristram Fane (2017-06-09). "The real Lord Buckethead: the cult sci-fi film that inspired Theresa May's election rival". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  6. ^ Waterson, Jim (2019-05-26). "Double trouble: the fight to be the real Lord Buckethead". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  7. ^ "Todd Durham signs with WMA as writer, director". Variety. August 28, 1987.
  8. ^ "Hyperspace". The Los Angeles Times. April 22, 1990.
  9. ^ "(front page) Zadan's Storyline unfolds with slate of major projects". The Hollywood Reporter. November 7, 1988.
  10. ^ Lyons, Charles (1999-10-15). "Mouse, Keaton in talks for 'Strangers' project". Variety. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  11. ^ "(front page) O'Donnell kids around in Nick, Dis pic projects". The Hollywood Reporter. July 8, 1999.
  12. ^ Rivenburg, Roy (1994-01-09). "It's Hotter Than Ever . . .HELL, : After years of neglect, Hades is making a comeback. But it's been remodeled a bit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-08-17.

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