David Seltzer (born February 12, 1940) is an American screenwriter, producer and director. He wrote the screenplays for the supernatural horror film The Omen (1976) and the action comedy film Bird on a Wire (1990). As writer-director, Seltzer's credits include the coming-of-age romantic sports film Lucas (1986), the comedy-drama film Punchline (1988), and the World War II drama film Shining Through (1992).
Early life David Seltzer was born to a Jewish family in Highland Park, Illinois in 1940.
Career Seltzer was uncredited for his contributions to the screenplay of the musical film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). The author of the original book, Roald Dahl, is credited as the sole screenwriter, but 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"), and the ending dialogue for the film.
Seltzer's writing credits include the screenplays for The Omen (1976),The New York Times: "The Omen (1976) - The Screen: 'Omen' Is Nobody's Baby" by RICHARD EDER June 26, 1976 Prophecy (1979), Six Weeks (1982), My Giant (1998), Dragonfly (2002), and Bird on a Wire (1990). He wrote and directed Lucas (1986) starring Corey Haim, Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder, Punchline (1988) starring Sally Field and Tom Hanks, Shining Through (1992) starring Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas, and Nobody's Baby (2001) starring Gary Oldman and Skeet Ulrich.
In 2002, Seltzer was reported to be writing a UK remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train (1951), from the novel by Patricia Highsmith. In 2008, he was reported to be writing an "Untitled Earthquake Project" for Hollywood director and producer J. J. Abrams, the plot of which was closely guarded, though it was confirmed that the film was not a remake of the disaster film Earthquake (1974).
Filmography Film Year Title Director Writer Producer 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory The Hellstrom Chronicle 1972 One Is a Lonely Number King, Queen, Knave 1975 The Other Side of the Mountain 1976 The Omen 1979 Prophecy 1982 Six Weeks 1983 Table for Five 1986 Lucas 1988 Punchline 1990 Bird on a Wire 1992 Shining Through 1997 The Eighteenth Angel 1998 My Giant 2001 Nobody's Baby 2002 Dragonfly 2006 The Omen
TV movies Year Title Writer Producer 1974 Larry 1977 Green Eyes 1985 Private Sessions 2011 Cinema Verite
References
External links The Dialogue: Learn from the Masters Interview