David Winters (April 5, 1939 â€" 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 one of the few to be re-cast. 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 was the first to choreograph the
Watusi, originated the Freddy, and 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,
Billie (1965), A Star Is Born (1976), and more. For the TV movie
Movin' with Nancy (1967), he is noted to be the first dance
choreographer to be nominated in the history of the Emmys in the
category Special Classification of Individual Achievements before the
category Outstanding Achievement in Choreography (for which he was
also nominated) was created.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
(1976), it is noted for imaginative costumes and set. He also directed
The Last Horror Film (1982). It was Joe Spinell's second lead role and
his last collaboration with Caroline Munro. Another directorial effort
was the teenage romance skateboarding film Thrashin' (1986), starring
Josh Brolin in his first lead. In the mid 1980s, Winters opened his
own production and distribution company, Action International
Pictures, within this enterprise he mostly produced for other
directors, a number of them by directed by David A. Prior starring his
brother Ted. Some of these cult classics include Deadly Prey (1987),
Aerobicide (1987), Mankillers (1987), Space Mutiny (1988), etc. From
then on he specialized in action-oriented films many with recurring
actors such as Robert Ginty, David Carradine, Robert Davi, Jan-Michael
Vincent, Cameron Mitchell, and Oliver Reed.
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 one of the few to be re-cast. 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 was the first to choreograph the
Watusi, originated the Freddy, and 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,
Billie (1965), A Star Is Born (1976), and more. For the TV movie
Movin' with Nancy (1967), he is noted to be the first dance
choreographer to be nominated in the history of the Emmys in the
category Special Classification of Individual Achievements before the
category Outstanding Achievement in Choreography (for which he was
also nominated) was created.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
(1976), it is noted for imaginative costumes and set. He also directed
The Last Horror Film (1982). It was Joe Spinell's second lead role and
his last collaboration with Caroline Munro. Another directorial effort
was the teenage romance skateboarding film Thrashin' (1986), starring
Josh Brolin in his first lead. In the mid 1980s, Winters opened his
own production and distribution company, Action International
Pictures, within this enterprise he mostly produced for other
directors, a number of them by directed by David A. Prior starring his
brother Ted. Some of these cult classics include Deadly Prey (1987),
Aerobicide (1987), Mankillers (1987), Space Mutiny (1988), etc. From
then on he specialized in action-oriented films many with recurring
actors such as Robert Ginty, David Carradine, Robert Davi, Jan-Michael
Vincent, Cameron Mitchell, and Oliver Reed.
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