David Winters (April 5, 1939 – April 23, 2019) was an English-American actor, dancer, choreographer, producer, film distributor, director and screenwriter. Winters participated in over 150 television series, television specials, and motion pictures. His accolades include two Emmy Award nominations, a Peabody Award, a Christopher Award, and many more. At a young age, he was seen acting in film and television projects such as Lux Video Theatre, Naked City, Mister Peepers, Rock, Rock, Rock, and Roogie's Bump. He received some attention in Broadway musicals for his roles in West Side Story (1957) and Gypsy (1959). In the film adaptation of West Side Story (1961) he was cast as A-rab. It became the highest grossing motion picture of that year, and won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
While Winters continued acting, he gained recognition for his dance choreography. He was frequently seen on television with his troupe David Winters Dancers in various variety shows most notably Hullabaloo (1965–1966) where he'd choreograph popularized several dances in the 1960s. He was a common collaborator of Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret including their hit film Viva Las Vegas (1964). Other dance choreography credits include T.A.M.I. Show (1964), Send Me No Flowers (1964), Billie (1965), and A Star Is Born (1976). For the TV movie Movin' with Nancy (1967), his choreography was nominated in the category Special Classification of Individual Achievements at the Emmys.
Winters eventually became a director and a producer starting with a streak of star-studded TV specials including Raquel! (1970) and Once Upon a Wheel (1971). His first theatrical release was the concert film Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare (1975) and his second the sport comedy Racquet (1979). He also directed The Last Horror Film (1982), starring Joe Spinell. Another directorial effort was the teenage romance skateboarding film Thrashin (1986), starring Josh Brolin. In the mid-1980s, Winters opened his own production and distribution specializing in action films company, Action International Pictures. Up to the mid-2000s Winters continued producing films.
In his final years Winters continued acting most notably the television series Blackbeard (2006) and the film Teddy Bear (2012). He produced the historical epic The King Maker (2005). He also produced, directed, and co-starred in Welcome 2 Ibiza (2003) and Dancin': It's On! (2015).
Stage Actor On Your Toes (1954) Sandhog (1954) Shinbone Alley (1957) West Side Story (1957) Gypsy (1959) One More River (1960) Billy Liar (1963)
Associate director Of Love Remembered (1967)
Director and choreographer Goosebumps (1980)
Selected filmography Actor Studio One (1950, TV Series) - Tom Boyne (uncredited) The United States Steel Hour (1954, TV Series) Roogie's Bump (1954) - Andy Rock, Rock, Rock! (1956) - Melville Naked City (1958, TV Series) - Marty Nemo The Last Angry Man (1959) - Lee Roy (uncredited) West Side Story (1961) - A-rab (Jets) The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (1961, TV Series) - Billy Joe Temple Take Her, She's Mine (1963) - Lester (uncredited) Captain Newman, M.D. (1963) - Patient (uncredited) The New Interns (1964) - Hood Burke's Law (1965, TV Series) - Special Agent James Martin (uncredited) The Crazy-Quilt (1966) Love on a Rooftop (1967, TV Series) - Augie The Last Horror Film (1982) - Stanley Kline Welcome 2 Ibiza (2003) - Uncle Sam Blackbeard (2006, TV Mini-Series) - Silas Bridges Hanuman klook foon (2008) - Stephan Teddy Bear (2012) - Scott Dragonwolf (2013) - Brutus Dancin': It's On! (2015) - Hal Sanders (final film role)
Choreographer Viva Las Vegas (1964) T.A.M.I. Show (1964) Send Me No Flowers (1964) Pajama Party (1964) Shindig! (1964) Girl Happy (Uncredited, 1965) Tickle Me (1965) Billie (1965) Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965) Kitten with a Whip (1965) Hullabaloo (1965) Made in Paris (1966) Lucy in London (1966) MJ's (1966) The Swinger (1966) Go (1967) Movin' with Nancy (1967) Monte Carlo: C'est La Rose (1968) Ann-Margret: From Hollywood with Love (1969) The Spring Thing (1969) The Special London Bridge Special (1972) A Star Is Born (1976) Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) Roller Boogie (1979) Dancin': It's On! (2015)
Director/Producer/Writer Film YearFilmDirectorProducerWriterNotes1975Linda Lovelace for President Erotic movieAlice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare Concert movie1977Young Lady Chatterly 1979Racquet Story uncredited1982The Last Horror Film 1985Mission Kill 1986Thrashin' 1987Code Name Vengeance Rage to Kill 1988Space Mutiny 1994Raw Justice Also executive producer1995Body Count The Dangerous 1997Fight and Revenge Lost film 2003Welcome 2 Ibiza 2005The King Maker 2015Dancin': It's On! Final film
Executive producer only YearFilm Notes 1976 Once Upon a Girl... Erotic animated movie 1987 Killer Workout Mankillers Deadly Prey1988Night Wars Death ChasePhoenix the Warrior Operation WarzoneHell on the BattlegroundDead End City1989Order of the EagleJungle AssaultDeadly Reactor Rapid Fire The Bounty Hunter White Fury Time Brust: The Final Alliance Born Killer Future Force Shooters 1990Deadly Dancer The Lost Platoon The Revenger UncreditedFuture Zone Invasion ForceThe Final Sanction Lock 'n' Load 1991FireheadRaw Nerve The Last Ride Presumed Guilty Maximum BreakoutDark Rider Cop-Out 1993 Night Trap 2000 Rhythm and Blues 2003 Devil's Harvest
Television YearFilmDirectorProducerNotes 1966 Lucy in London TV movie 1967–1968 The Monkees TV series;
Directed 2 episodes 1968 Where the Girls Are TV movie The Ann-Margret Show TV special 1969 The Spring Thing TV movie The Leslie Uggams Show TV series Ann-Margret: From Hollywood to Love TV special 1970 Raquel! The Darin Invasion The Sonny and Cher Nitty Gritty Hour The George Kirby Show 1970–1971 The Barbara McNair Show TV series 1971 Once Upon a Wheel TV documentary The 5th Dimension Traveling Sunshine Show TV special Story Theatre TV series;
1 episode 1971–1973 Rollin' on the River TV series;
Also executive producer 1972 George TV series;
1 episode The Special London Bridge Special TV movie Half the George Kirby Comedy TV series Timex All-Star Swing Festival TV special 1973 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde TV movie Old Faithful Saga of Sonora 1976 The Lisa Hartman Show TV special 1984 Steadfast Tin Soldier TV movie
Video YearFilmDirectorProducerNotes 1982 Yoga Moves 1984 That Was Rock Concert video compilation Love Skills: A Guide to the Pleasures of Sex Erotic documentary 1985 Girls of Rock & Roll Video documentary 1990 Fatal Skies Direct to DVD film That's Action Video documentary
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