William Dear
About
Biography
Biography
Capable Hollywood craftsman who has been busy as a writer, director, and producer in film and TV since the mid-1970s. Dear has quietly carved several niches for himself in the industry as a director of commercials, TV pilots ("Dinosaurs," "Covington Cross"), and direct-to-video comic films (the Firesign Theatre's "Nick Danger--The Case of the Missing Yoke"). Between 1983 and 1985 alone, he received two Directors' Guild Award nominations and 12 Clio Award nominations for his direction and shooting of commercials. Dear has also proven himself to be a canny creator of popular family entertainments ("Harry and the Hendersons" 1987; "Angels in the Outfield" 1994). Moreover he was a pioneer in rock video due to his much admired collaborations with former Monkees member Michael Nesmith on the short film "Rio" (1977) and the multi-award-winning "Michael Nesmith in Elephant Parts" (1981). Dear has also acted in a number of small film roles, mostly in his own features.
After college Dear directed and co-wrote the short film "Mr. Grey" (1969), which won an award at the Atlantic Film Festival. He then served as producer, director, and cinematographer on several low-budget exploitation features ("Nymph" 1975; "The Northville Cemetery Massacre" 1976) before meeting with writer-director Paul Schrader, then filming his directorial debut "Blue Collar" (1978). Dear was hired as a 2nd unit director and cameraman, and managed the 2nd unit on Schrader's subsequent "Hardcore" (1979).
Dear made his mainstream debut as a writer-director (in collaboration with executive producer and co-writer Nesmith) on "Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swan" (1983), an enjoyable fantasy starring Fred Ward as a time-traveling motorcyclist. He made a bigger splash with "Harry and the Hendersons," a Disney-styled comedy starring John Lithgow as a family man who takes in Bigfoot. A modest success in theaters, the film was a big hit on video and generated a syndicated TV spin-off. Dear tried his hand at teen comedy directing the James Bond spoof "If Looks Could Kill," and heroic adventure as the story writer of Disney's "The Rocketeer" (both 1991). He scored a modest hit helming "Angels in the Outfield" (1994), a sappy yet diverting Disney remake of a 1951 movie. At its best, the film recalled Disney sports fantasies from the 60s.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Film Production - Main (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Director (Special)
Cast (Special)
Producer (Special)
Life Events
1969
Directed and co-wrote the short film, "Mr. Grey"; won a Special Jury Award Gold Medal at the Atlantic Film Festival
1975
Feature directing debut, "Nymph"
1976
Feature debut as producer and cinematographer, "Northville Cemetery Massacre"; also co-directed
1977
Met writer-director Paul Schrader, who was filming in Detroit
1977
Met former Monkee turned producer-composer Michael Nesmith
1977
Collaborated with Nesmith on the short film "Rio," which was based on a song written by Nesmith
1978
Provided additional photography for Paul Schrader's directorial debut, "Blue Collar"
1979
Served as manager of the 2nd unit for Schrader's "Hardcore"
1981
Directed and co-wrote (with Nesmith) "Michael Nesmith in Elephant Parts"; won the first Video of the Year Grammy Award
1982
First feature credit as a writer/director, "Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann"; co-written by producer Michael Nesmith
1984
Made TV directing debut with the Showtime special, "Garry Shandling - Alone in Las Vegas" (rebroadcast on ABC in 1988)
1985
Made TV producing debut with the short-lived NBC comedy series "Michael Nesmith in Television Parts"
1985
Directed an episode of Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories" titled "Mummy, Daddy"
1987
Produced, co-wrote, directed and appeared in the family comedy "Harry and the Hendersons"
1990
Directed the unsold pilot for "Hollywood Dog," a live action/animation hybrid for Fox
1991
Received a creator's credit on "Harry and the Hendersons," a syndicated sitcom spin-off from the feature film
1991
Directed the pilot episode for ABC's "Dinosaurs"
1992
Directed the pilot episode of "Covington Cross," a short-lived medieval family adventure on ABC
1993
Co-executive produced "Journey to the Center of the Earth," an NBC TV movie pilot; also directed
1994
Directed the family film "Angels in the Outfield"
1997
Directed the adventure film "Wild America"
2000
Wrote and directed "Santa Who?" starring Leslie Nielsen
2005
Directed Ryan Reynolds in "School of Life"
2006
Wrote and directed the horror film "Simon Says," which premiered at Fantastic Fest
2007
Directed the direct-to-video sequel "The Sandlot: Heading Home"
2010
Directed "The Perfect Game," about a group of boys from Monterrey, Mexico, who became the first non-U.S. team to win the Little League World Series in 1957
