David Zucker

With a string of worldwide box office comedy hits, director/writer, and now best-selling author, David Zucker has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most successful filmmakers. Starting out after college in Milwaukee, with a borrowed video tape deck and camera, David, with brother Jerry, and friend Jim Abrahams, created the Kentucky Fried Theater, setting up shop in the back of a Madison bookstore. Moving the show to Los Angeles in 1972, with their groundbreaking style of outrageous sketch comedy, they quickly became the most successful small theater group in Los Angeles history. After transforming KFT into an iconic independent feature, Kentucky Fried Movie, David, Jim, and Jerry conceived the idea that would create a whole new film genre. Airplane! broke all conventions, with dramatic actors Robert Stack and Leslie Nielsen performing zany jokes with straight-laced sincerity. The spoof became the surprise hit of 1980, and since has been widely acclaimed as the funniest comedy of all time. Airplane! began a streak of hit comedies including Top Secret! Ruthless People. The Naked Guns, BASEketball, and Scary Movies 3, 4. David ventured into a more serious vein, producing A Walk in The Clouds and Phone Booth. David currently resides in Brentwood, California, where he enjoys his two children and ex-wife.