Bonnie Turner
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Working closely with husband and creative partner Terry Turner since the mid-1970s, writer, producer and TV series creator Bonnie Turner has made a name for herself in the industry with extensive film and television comedy credits. The pair began their career as a comedy writing team penning revue shows in Atlanta, Georgia in 1975. They subsequently did award-winning news writing and producing work for Turner Broadcasting, but returned to comedy in the mid-80s, landing writing jobs for the popular sketch comedy series "Saturday Night Live" in 1986 after former colleague and "SNL" cast member Jan Hooks introduced them to producer Lorne Michaels. The Turners' work helped keep the then-failing series afloat from 1986-1993, helping to bring life to such iconic characters as Mike Myers' Wayne Campbell, star of the Aurora cable access program "Wayne's World" and Dana Carvey's hyper-judgmental "Church Lady."
Continuing to work with her husband Terry, Turner began working in film in the late 1980s. "Funland" (1987), a comedy set at an amusement park, was the duo's first feature screenwriting credit, but the forgettable film did little to further their career. Their "SNL" work would pave the way for her next film entry, co-writing the screenplay for the feature adaptation of "Wayne's World" (1992) with Terry Turner and Mike Myers. A surprising success, "Wayne's World" was the first and best of the "Saturday Night Live" spin-off movies. In the film, maverick and moronic TV host and producer Wayne (Myers) gets discovered and subsequently commercialized, moving from small time Illinois local broadcasting to the Hollywood big time. In addition to penning the screenplay for the similarly themed sequel "Wayne's World 2" (199), The Turners would use a comparable "fish out of water" plot in subsequent TV character-based features like "Coneheads" (1993) and "The Brady Bunch Movie" as well as the buddy film "Tommy Boy" (both 1995).
Continuing this successful formula, the two created the hit sitcom "3rd Rock From the Sun" (NBC, 1996-2001), following four guileless aliens inhabiting human bodies on Earth. A breakout hit, the zany "3rd Rock" showcased the talents of John Lithgow, Kristen Johnston, and French Stewart, and reunited the producers with "Coneheads" star Jane Curtin and supporting player Simbi Khali, late of ABC's "SHE TV" (1994), a short-lived sketch series created by the Turners. Following up the success of "3rd Rock From the Sun," the Turners looked backward for inspiration, and created the Fox sitcom "That '70s Show" (1998-2006), a teen ensemble comedy set in the titular decade. Starring a cast of talented virtual unknowns, the genuinely funny and affectionate show became a surprise hit, and was noted for being one of the few series on television with fully developed teen and adult characters. Also for Fox, Turner co-created, executive produced and wrote "Normal, Ohio" (2000), a sitcom about an openly gay blue collar family man (John Goodman) from small town middle America.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Writer (Special)
Special Thanks (Special)
Life Events
1975
With husband Terry Turner, began working as a comedy writer for revue shows in Atlanta, Georgia
1986
Was a writer for the sketch comedy series "Saturday Night Live" (NBC) with credits including such recurring skits as "Wayne's World" and "Church Lady"
1987
Had a small role in the detective feature "Dead Aim"
1987
With Terry Turner, co-wrote the screenplay for the amusement park-set comedy "Funland"
1992
Co-wrote the screenplay for the hit feature "Wayne's World", based on the recurring "SNL" sketch
1993
Was co-screenwriter and co-producer of the "Saturday Night Live" spin-off feature "Coneheads"
1993
Co-wrote the screenplay for the sequel "Wayne's World 2"
1994
With husband Terry Turner, developed and executive produced the short-lived but critically acclaimed sketch comedy series "SHE TV" (ABC)
1995
Co-wrote "The Brady Bunch Movie", a comedy feature that transplanted the 1970s sitcom family to the 1990s
1995
With Terry Turner and Fred Wolf, wrote the screenplay for "Tommy Boy", the first of the David Spade/Chris Farley buddy films
1998
With Terry Turner, created and executive produced the popular Fox teen sitcom "That '70s Show"
2000
Created, executive produced and wrote the Fox sitcom "Normal, Ohio", starring John Goodman as a gay father in middle America
Companions
