David Giler obit

David Giler, Writer-Producer on ‘Alien’ Franchise, Dies at 77

 He was not on the list.

David Giler, a writer and producer known for his work on each film in the “Alien” franchise, died at his Bangkok home on Dec. 19. He was 77 years old.

His longtime friend, “Alien” producer Walter Hill, said in a statement, “If you knew David, you knew he was special. The magic of his personality is hard to describe: funny, angry, extremely knowledgeable, extremely well read; it was my privilege to write and produce with him, and more importantly, to have his close and deep friendship for nearly 50 years.”

Giler got his first major writing credit in 1962 when he wrote the teleplay for an episode of ABC’s “The Gallant Men.” Throughout the 1960s he continued to write episodes for series including “Burke’s Law” and “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”

Having written the screenplay for 1970’s “Myra Breckinridge,” Giler also got the chance to try his hand at production, though he remains uncredited as a producer on the project. His production skills would ultimately lead to a long run with the “Alien” franchise, beginning with Giler’s work on the first 1979 film.

He served as a writer on both “Aliens” and “Alien 3,” executive producing the first and producing the latter. In 1997 he produced “Alien: Resurrection,” and in 2017 he again held the title of producer for “Alien: Covenant.”

His other screenplay credits include writing or co-writing “The Money Pit,” “Fun With Dick and Jane,” “Southern Comfort” and “The Parallax View.” He also produced the “Tales from the Crypt” and “Tales from the Cryptkeeper” series.

In the 2000s, Giler also worked on the “Alien Vs. Predator” franchise, including two films and a host of other media content.

Giler had worked on all film-based franchise entries for “Alien,” including “Prometheus,” and had been listed as a producer for a third prequel that has yet to come to fruition.

On Dec. 10, one of the many Disney Investor Day announcements included plans for an “Alien” series in the works for FX on Hulu.

Giler is survived by his sister Kendall Giler.

 

Producer

Untitled Alien Prequel

producer

In Development

 

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Alien: Covenant

6.4

producer (produced by)

2017

 

Prometheus (2012)

Prometheus

7.0

producer

2012

 

Tom Woodruff Jr. and Ian Whyte in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem

4.6

producer

2007

 

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Alien vs. Predator

5.7

producer

2004

 

Tim Curry, Jennifer Grey, and Craig Sheffer in Ritual (2002)

Ritual

4.8

producer

2002

 

Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes in Undisputed (2002)

Undisputed

6.1

producer

2002

 

Tales from the Crypt (2000)

Tales from the Crypt

7.6

TV Series

executive producer

2000

 

Winona Ryder and Sigourney Weaver in Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Alien: Resurrection

6.2

producer

1997

 

Perversions of Science (1997)

Perversions of Science

6.2

TV Series

executive producer

1997

10 episodes

 

Secrets of the Cryptkeeper's Haunted House (1996)

Secrets of the Cryptkeeper's Haunted House

7.5

TV Series

executive producer

1996

1 episode

 

Bordello of Blood (1996)

Bordello of Blood

5.4

executive producer

1996

 

Tales from the Crypt (1989)

Tales from the Crypt

8.0

TV Series

executive producer

1989–1996

93 episodes

 

Ed O'Neill in W.E.I.R.D. World (1995)

W.E.I.R.D. World

4.8

TV Movie

executive producer

1995

 

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995)

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight

6.7

executive producer

1995

 

Tales from the Cryptkeeper (1993)

Tales from the Cryptkeeper

7.5

TV Series

executive producer

1993–1994

5 episodes

 

Mark Dacascos, Raymond Cruz, and Natasha Gregson Wagner in Dragstrip Girl (1994)

Dragstrip Girl

4.6

TV Movie

producer

1994

 

Anne Heche, Ione Skye, Missy Crider, and Bahni Turpin in Girls in Prison (1994)

Girls in Prison

4.8

TV Movie

producer

1994

 

Salma Hayek and Antonio Sabato Jr. in Rebel Highway (1994)

Rebel Highway

5.4

TV Series

producer

1994

1 episode

 

Salma Hayek and David Arquette in Roadracers (1994)

Roadracers

6.4

TV Movie

producer

1994

 

Alien³ (1992)

Alien³

6.4

producer

1992

 

Two-Fisted Tales (1992)

Two-Fisted Tales

5.8

TV Movie

executive producer

1992

 

Richard Dreyfuss in Let It Ride (1989)

Let It Ride

6.8

producer

1989

 

Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn in Aliens (1986)

Aliens

8.4

executive producer

1986

 

The Money Pit (1986)

The Money Pit

6.4

executive producer

1986

 

Tom Berenger in Rustlers' Rhapsody (1985)

Rustlers' Rhapsody

6.4

producer

1985

 

Southern Comfort (1981)

Southern Comfort

7.1

producer

1981

 

Alien (1979)

Alien

8.5

producer (produced by)

1979

 

Myra Breckinridge (1970)

Myra Breckinridge

4.5

producer (uncredited)

1970

 

Writer

Aliens: Colonial Marines (2013)

Aliens: Colonial Marines

4.8

Video Game

characters (uncredited)

2013

 

Aliens: Deleted and Extended Scenes (2010)

Aliens: Deleted and Extended Scenes

8.6

Video

story by

2010

 

Jim Carrey in Fun with Dick and Jane (2005)

Fun with Dick and Jane

6.2

Writer (1977 screenplay)

2005

 

Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes in Undisputed (2002)

Undisputed

6.1

written by

2002

 

Alien³ (1992)

Alien³

6.7

Video Game

based on a movie written by (uncredited)

1992

 

Alien³ (1992)

Alien³

6.4

screenplay

1992

 

Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)

Beverly Hills Cop II

6.5

Writer (uncredited)

1987

 

Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn in Aliens (1986)

Aliens

8.4

story by

1986

 

The Money Pit (1986)

The Money Pit

6.4

written by

1986

 

Southern Comfort (1981)

Southern Comfort

7.1

written by

1981

 

Fun with Dick and Jane (1977)

Fun with Dick and Jane

6.4

screenplay

1977

 

George Segal in The Black Bird (1975)

The Black Bird

5.4

screenplay

1975

 

The Parallax View (1974)

The Parallax View

7.1

screenplay

1974

 

Myra Breckinridge (1970)

Myra Breckinridge

4.5

screenplay

1970

 

The Bold Ones: The Lawyers (1969)

The Bold Ones: The Lawyers

7.5

TV Series

story

1969

1 episode

 

Robert Vaughn, Leo G. Carroll, and David McCallum in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964)

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

7.7

TV Series

writer

1967

1 episode

 

Noel Harrison and Stefanie Powers in The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1966)

The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.

6.6

TV Series

writer

1967

1 episode

 

Gene Barry in Burke's Law (1963)

Burke's Law

7.4

TV Series

written by

1965

1 episode

 

Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963)

Kraft Suspense Theatre

7.7

TV Series

story

teleplay

1964

1 episode

 

William Windom in The Gallant Men (1962)

The Gallant Men

7.9

TV Series

teleplay

1962

1 episode

 

Actor

George Segal in The Black Bird (1975)

The Black Bird

5.4

Man Printing Sign

1975

 

The Ford Television Theatre (1952)

The Ford Television Theatre

7.4

TV Series

1954

1 episode