David Zucker Biography

Date of Birth: October 16, 1947

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, David Zucker studied filmmaking at the University of Wisconsin before forming the improv group Kentucky Fried Theatre with his brother Jerry, and their friend Jim Abrahams. The three of them wrote a screenplay, Kentucky Fried Movie (1977), and went to California to get it produced. Jerry and David played various roles in the film and their sister Susan and mother Charlotte also played small roles. A series of short skits reminiscent of Saturday Night Live, the film launched their careers. Three years later they wrote and directed the box office smash Airplane! (1980). Jerry, Jim and David earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Screenplay, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture, and won a Writers Guild of America award.

The trio created the comedy series Police Squad!, a spoof along the same lines as Airplane!, then directed and wrote Top Secret! (1984), a spoof of Elvis movies. Ruthless People (1986) was the first movie the trio worked on as directors without also being the writers. David Zucker took on the role of directing solo for The Naked Gun! (1988), the first of two spoofs about an incompetent police lieutenant starring Leslie Nielsen.

Zucker was the sole director and writer on H.U.D. (2000), a made-for-TV movie, but returned to the big screen to produce his first drama, Phone Booth (2003). He found himself in the director's chair again for a comedy written by David Dorfman, My Boss's Daughter (2003), starring Ashton Kutcher.

With wife Danielle, whom he married in May 1997, Zucker shares a son, Charles and a daughter, Sarah.

Filmography:

An American Carol (2008)
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Scary Movie 3 (2003)
My Boss's Daughter (2003)
BASEketball (1998)
For Goodness Sake (1993)
The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991)
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
Ruthless People (1986)
Top Secret! (1984)
Airplane! (1980)