Born on October 16, 1947, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, David Zucker has made a lasting impact on the film industry as a director, writer, and producer. Alongside his brother Jerry and longtime friend Jim Abrahams, Zucker has established himself as one of Hollywood's most successful filmmakers.
After college, the trio created the Kentucky Fried Theater on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, which quickly gained popularity and led to their move to California in 1972. They went on to become the most successful small theater group in Los Angeles history.
Their success with the Kentucky Fried Theater led to the creation of the 1980 film Airplane!, which broke all conventions and became a surprise hit. This film is often credited with creating a new film genre, and it launched a streak of hilarious movies, including Top Secret! and Ruthless People.
Zucker continued to work on his own, directing films such as The Naked Gun trilogy, BASEketball, Scary Movie 3 and 4, and others. He also produced successful films like A Walk in the Clouds and Phone Booth.
In addition to his work in the entertainment industry, Zucker has been a prominent advocate for environmental causes. He has served on the board of TreePeople, an LA-based organization dedicated to promoting community-based tree planting and ecological solutions. Zucker has worked closely with the organization's founder, Andy Lipkis, and has received numerous honors for his efforts, including the annual Evergreen Award.
Zucker's most recent projects include a feature script for the comedy film The Star of Malta, set in the Film Noir era, and an international spy thriller titled "Counter Intellijence!".