David R. Ellis obit

David R. Ellis, Director of ‘Snakes on a Plane,’ Dies at 60

The director was three weeks away from shooting "Kite," a remake of a 1998 anime that would have reteamed him with Samuel L. Jackson.

He was not on the list. 

David R. Ellis, who directed 2006’s Snakes on a Plane, has died. He was 60 years old.

His body was found in his hotel room in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was in pre-production on Kite, a remake of a 1998 Japanese anime that was to have starred Snakes topliner Samuel L. Jackson. The cause of death is unknown.

Ellis began his film career doing stunts in movies such as 1977’s Smokey and the Bandit, notching up action credits with Sharky’s Machine, V, The Beastmaster and Patriot Games.

He moved to second unit directing (Waterworld, Soldier and The Matrix Reloaded were among his credits) and made his directorial debut with 1996’s Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco.

His big break occurred when he directed 2003’s Final Destination 2, upping the Grand Guignol nature of the horror series to new heights. Cellular, starring a young Chris Evans, was followed by the infamous Snakes. The latter gained an online following largely due to its title and was an example of Ellis’ moviemaking style: simple, fun entertainment with a wink or two.

Other directing credits included The Final Destination and Shark Night 3D. He has three movies to be released later this year on which he acted as second unit director: R.I.P.D., 47 Ronin and Winter’s Tale.

He leaves behind a wife and three kids.

Stunts

Russell Brand and Jonah Hill in Get Him to the Greek (2010)

Get Him to the Greek

6.3

stunts

2010

 

Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, and Cosmo in Hotel for Dogs (2009)

Hotel for Dogs

5.5

stunts (as David Richard Ellis)

2009

 

Rosie O'Donnell and Michelle Trachtenberg in Harriet the Spy (1996)

Harriet the Spy

6.0

stunts (as Dave Ellis)

1996

 

Jason Scott Lee, Bombay, Lowell, Shadow, Casey, Buck, and Teddy in The Jungle Book (1994)

The Jungle Book

6.1

stunt coordinator: US (as David Ellis)

1994

 

Mel Gibson and Nick Stahl in The Man Without a Face (1993)

The Man Without a Face

6.7

stunt coordinator

stunts (as David Ellis)

1993

 

Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson in Made in America (1993)

Made in America

5.1

stunt coordinator

1993

 

Sharon Stone and William Baldwin in Sliver (1993)

Sliver

5.1

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1993

 

Julian Sands in Warlock: The Armageddon (1993)

Warlock: The Armageddon

5.4

stunts (as David Ellis)

1993

 

Madonna and Willem Dafoe in Body of Evidence (1993)

Body of Evidence

4.6

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1993

 

Mel Gibson in Forever Young (1992)

Forever Young

6.3

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1992

 

Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, and Sean Bean in Patriot Games (1992)

Patriot Games

6.8

stunt coordinator

1992

 

Christian Slater in Kuffs (1992)

Kuffs

5.9

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1992

 

The Addams Family (1991)

The Addams Family

6.9

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1991

 

Gabrielle Anwar and Michael Schoeffling in Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (1991)

Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken

7.2

stunt coordinator

1991

 

Life Stinks (1991)

Life Stinks

5.9

stunt coordinator (as David Richard Ellis)

1991

 

Misery (1990)

Misery

7.8

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1990

 

Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick in The Freshman (1990)

The Freshman

6.5

stunt coordinator

1990

 

Bill Cosby, Brooke Fontaine, Salim Grant, and Kimberly Russell in Ghost Dad (1990)

Ghost Dad

4.4

stunts (as David Ellis)

1990

 

Days of Thunder (1990)

Days of Thunder

6.1

stunts (as David Ellis)

1990

 

Theresa Russell in Impulse (1990)

Impulse

5.7

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1990

 

Jodie Foster and Dennis Hopper in Catchfire (1990)

Catchfire

5.3

stunt person

1990

 

Bill Paxton, Brian Dennehy, Jeff Fahey, and Joe Pantoliano in The Last of the Finest (1990)

The Last of the Finest

5.8

stunt coordinator

stunts (as Davis Ellis)

1990

 

Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth, Alexandra Paul, David Hasselhoff, David Chokachi, Gena Lee Nolin, and Jaason Simmons in Baywatch (1989)

Baywatch

5.5

TV Series

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1989–1990

15 episodes

 

Everybody Wins (1990)

Everybody Wins

5.1

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1990

 

Derek Rydall in Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge (1989)

Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge

5.3

stunts (as David Ellis)

1989

 

Tennessee Waltz (1989)

Tennessee Waltz

5.4

fight coordinator (as David Richard Ellis)

1989

 

Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

5.5

stunts (as David Richard Ellis)

1989

 

Julian Sands in Warlock (1989)

Warlock

6.2

stunt coordinator

1989

 

Patrick Swayze and Kelly Lynch in Road House (1989)

Road House

6.7

stunts (as David Ellis)

1989

 

Ami Dolenz and Tony Danza in She's Out of Control (1989)

She's Out of Control

5.4

stunts (as David Ellis)

1989

 

Don Johnson in Dead Bang (1989)

Dead Bang

6.1

stunts (as David Ellis)

1989

 

Christian Slater in Gleaming the Cube (1989)

Gleaming the Cube

6.3

stunts (as David Ellis)

1989

 

Jeffrey Meek in Remo Williams: The Prophecy (1988)

Remo Williams: The Prophecy

4.9

TV Movie

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1988

 

Sean Connery and Mark Harmon in The Presidio (1988)

The Presidio

6.0

stunts

1988

 

John Ritter and Jim Belushi in Real Men (1987)

Real Men

6.0

stunt player (as David Ellis)

1987

 

Michael Douglas and Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction (1987)

Fatal Attraction

6.9

stunt coordinator

stunts (as David Ellis)

1987

 

Whoopi Goldberg in Burglar (1987)

Burglar

5.1

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1987

 

Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon (1987)

Lethal Weapon

7.6

stunts (as David Ellis)

1987

 

Richard Pryor in Critical Condition (1987)

Critical Condition

5.3

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1987

 

Charlie Sheen in The Wraith (1986)

The Wraith

5.9

stunt player (as David Ellis)

1986

 

A Fine Mess (1986)

A Fine Mess

4.7

stunts (as David Ellis)

1986

 

Anthony Michael Hall and Jenny Wright in Out of Bounds (1986)

Out of Bounds

5.4

stunts

1986

 

William Petersen in To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

To Live and Die in L.A.

7.3

stunt player

1985

 

Fooling Around

6.8

stunts

1984

 

V (1984)

V

7.3

TV Series

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1984–1985

 

V: The Final Battle (1984)

V: The Final Battle

7.7

TV Mini Series

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1984

3 episodes

 

Gorky Park (1983)

Gorky Park

6.7

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1983

 

Al Pacino in Scarface (1983)

Scarface

8.3

stunts (as David Ellis)

1983

 

Mimi Rogers, Jim Varney, and Chad Everett in The Rousters (1983)

The Rousters

7.6

TV Series

stunt coordinator

1983

1 episode

 

Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, and Christie Brinkley in Vacation (1983)

Vacation

7.3

stunts (as David Ellis)

1983

 

V (1983)

V

7.8

TV Mini Series

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1983

2 episodes

 

Phoebe Cates, Matthew Modine, Jonathan Prince, and Michael Zorek in Private School (1983)

Private School

5.3

stunts

1983

 

Second Thoughts (1983)

Second Thoughts

5.3

stunt coordinator

stunts (as David Ellis)

1983

 

Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

Airplane II: The Sequel

6.2

stunt coordinator

1982

 

Ann-Margret, Jon Voight, and Burt Young in Lookin' to Get Out (1982)

Lookin' to Get Out

5.1

stunt person (as David Ellis)

1982

 

Voyagers! (1982)

Voyagers!

8.0

TV Series

stunts (uncredited)

1982

1 episode

 

The Beastmaster (1982)

The Beastmaster

6.2

stunts (as David Ellis)

1982

 

Sean Penn in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

7.1

stunts (as David Ellis)

1982

 

Barry Bostwick and Persis Khambatta in Megaforce (1982)

Megaforce

3.7

stunts (as David Ellis)

1982

 

The Phoenix (1981)

The Phoenix

6.9

TV Series

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1982

1 episode

 

Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, and Bernie Casey in Sharky's Machine (1981)

Sharky's Machine

6.3

stunts (as David Ellis)

1981

 

Timothy Hutton in Taps (1981)

Taps

6.8

stunts (as David Ellis)

1981

 

Return of the Rebels (1981)

Return of the Rebels

4.7

TV Movie

stunt coordinator (as Dave Ellis)

1981

 

S.O.B. (1981)

S.O.B.

6.4

stunts (as Dave Ellis)

1981

 

Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin in Nice Dreams (1981)

Nice Dreams

6.1

stunt double: Chong (as David Ellis)

1981

 

King of the Mountain (1981)

King of the Mountain

5.5

stunt coordinator

1981

 

Take This Job and Shove It (1981)

Take This Job and Shove It

5.0

stunts (as David Ellis)

1981

 

Joanna Cassidy, Mark Harmon, and John Bennett Perry in 240-Robert (1979)

240-Robert

7.2

TV Series

stunt coordinator

1979–1981

14 episodes

 

Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field in Back Roads (1981)

Back Roads

5.6

stunt coordinator

1981

 

Sally Field, Burt Reynolds, and Jackie Gleason in Smokey and the Bandit II (1980)

Smokey and the Bandit II

5.3

stunts (as David Ellis)

1980

 

Jodie Foster, Gary Busey, and Robbie Robertson in Carny (1980)

Carny

6.4

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1980

 

Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider (1979)

Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider

5.5

stunts

1979

 

Donald Sutherland and Veronica Cartwright in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

7.4

stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

1978

 

Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley, and KISS in Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978)

Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park

4.6

TV Movie

stunt double: Gene Simmons (uncredited)

1978

 

Burt Reynolds in Hooper (1978)

Hooper

6.4

stunt performer (as David Ellis)

1978

 

Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)

Hot Lead and Cold Feet

6.1

stunts (as David Ellis)

1978

 

Deathsport (1978)

Deathsport

4.0

stunt rider (as David Ellis)

1978

 

Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game of Death (1978)

Game of Death

5.9

motorcycle stunts (as David Ellis)

1978

 

Sally Field, Burt Reynolds, and Jackie Gleason in Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Smokey and the Bandit

7.0

stunts (uncredited)

1977

 

Bound for Glory (1976)

Bound for Glory

7.2

stunts (as David Ellis)

1976

 

Baby Blue Marine (1976)

Baby Blue Marine

6.1

stunts (uncredited)

1976

 

Second Unit or Assistant Director

Emma, Paul, Daniel, Brian, and James in The Old Age Sword: The Movie (2020)

The Old Age Sword: The Movie

Video

second unit director

2020

 

Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findlay in Winter's Tale (2014)

Winter's Tale

6.1

second unit director (as David Ellis)

2014

 

Keanu Reeves, Rinko Kikuchi, Neil Fingleton, and Rick Genest in 47 Ronin (2013)

47 Ronin

6.2

second unit director

2013

 

Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds in R.I.P.D. (2013)

R.I.P.D.

5.6

second unit director

2013

 

Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan in Cop Out (2010)

Cop Out

5.5

second unit director

2010

 

Russell Crowe in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

7.5

second unit director

2003

 

Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

The Matrix Reloaded

7.2

second unit director: USA (as David Ellis)

2003

 

Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Harris, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

7.6

second unit director (as David Ellis)

2001

 

Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star (2001)

Rock Star

6.3

second unit director (as David Ellis)

2001

 

Promo Poster

Just Visiting

5.7

second unit director (as David Ellis)

2001

 

Steven Seagal and DMX in Exit Wounds (2001)

Exit Wounds

5.6

second unit director (as David Ellis)

2001

 

The Perfect Storm (2000)

The Perfect Storm

6.5

second unit director

2000

 

Bruce Willis in The Kid (2000)

The Kid

6.1

second unit director

2000

 

Martin Lawrence in Blue Streak (1999)

Blue Streak

6.4

second unit director

1999

 

Skeet Ulrich, Tobey Maguire, Jewel, and Jeffrey Wright in Ride with the Devil (1999)

Ride with the Devil

6.7

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1999

 

Saffron Burrows in Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Deep Blue Sea

5.9

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1999

 

Soldier (1998)

Soldier

6.0

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1998

 

Eddie Murphy in Holy Man (1998)

Holy Man

5.0

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1998

 

Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey in The Negotiator (1998)

The Negotiator

7.3

second unit director: Los Angeles (as David Ellis)

1998

 

Dustin Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sharon Stone in Sphere (1998)

Sphere

6.1

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1998

 

Andy Garcia and Michael Keaton in Desperate Measures (1998)

Desperate Measures

6.1

second unit director

1998

 

Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford in The Devil's Own (1997)

The Devil's Own

6.2

second unit director: Dublin (as David Ellis)

1997

 

Kevin Costner in Waterworld (1995)

Waterworld

6.3

second unit director

1995

 

Jason Scott Lee, Bombay, Lowell, Shadow, Casey, Buck, and Teddy in The Jungle Book (1994)

The Jungle Book

6.1

second unit director

1994

 

Clear and Present Danger (1994)

Clear and Present Danger

6.9

second unit director

1994

 

Brian Bonsall in Blank Check (1994)

Blank Check

5.3

second unit director

1994

 

Gérard Depardieu, Katherine Heigl, and Dalton James in My Father the Hero (1994)

My Father the Hero

5.5

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1994

 

Mackenzie Astin in Iron Will (1994)

Iron Will

6.6

second unit director

1994

 

Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, and Sarah Rose Karr in Beethoven's 2nd (1993)

Beethoven's 2nd

5.0

second unit director

1993

 

Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson in Made in America (1993)

Made in America

5.1

second unit director

1993

 

Sharon Stone and William Baldwin in Sliver (1993)

Sliver

5.1

second unit director

1993

 

Madonna and Willem Dafoe in Body of Evidence (1993)

Body of Evidence

4.6

second unit director

1993

 

Mel Gibson in Forever Young (1992)

Forever Young

6.3

second unit director

1992

 

Whispers in the Dark (1992)

Whispers in the Dark

5.6

second unit director

1992

 

Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, and Sean Bean in Patriot Games (1992)

Patriot Games

6.8

second unit director

1992

 

Thunderheart (1992)

Thunderheart

6.8

second unit director (as David Richard Ellis)

1992

 

Christian Slater in Kuffs (1992)

Kuffs

5.9

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1992

 

Life Stinks (1991)

Life Stinks

5.9

second unit director (uncredited)

1991

 

Bill Paxton, Brian Dennehy, Jeff Fahey, and Joe Pantoliano in The Last of the Finest (1990)

The Last of the Finest

5.8

second unit director

1990

 

Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth, Alexandra Paul, David Hasselhoff, David Chokachi, Gena Lee Nolin, and Jaason Simmons in Baywatch (1989)

Baywatch

5.5

TV Series

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1989–1990

4 episodes

 

Julian Sands in Warlock (1989)

Warlock

6.2

second unit director

1989

 

Michael Douglas and Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction (1987)

Fatal Attraction

6.9

second unit director (uncredited)

1987

 

Condor (1985)

Condor

4.9

TV Movie

second unit director (as David Ellis)

1985

 

Mimi Rogers, Jim Varney, and Chad Everett in The Rousters (1983)

The Rousters

7.6

TV Series

second unit director

1983

1 episode