Gale Anne Hurd (born October 25, 1955) is an American film and television producer, the founder of Valhalla Entertainment (formerly Pacific Western Productions)[1] and a former recording secretary for the Producers Guild of America.[2] Notable works include The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Armageddon, Mankiller (a documentary about the late Wilma Mankiller) and The Walking Dead.
Gale Anne Hurd | |
|---|---|
 Hurd in 2016 | |
| Born | October 25, 1955 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | Stanford University (BA) |
| Occupation(s) | Film and television producer |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Early life
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Gale Anne Hurd was born on October 25, 1955, in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Lolita (née Jordan) and Frank E. Hurd, an investor.[3] She grew up in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California and graduated from Palm Springs High School in 1973.[4] Hurd attended Stanford University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and communications with a minor in political science in 1977.[5]
Film career
editEarly Career
Hurd began her career in the entertainment industry as an executive assistant to Roger Corman at New World Pictures. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming involved in various aspects of production.[6] and became the head of marketing. After co-producing her first film, Smokey Bites the Dust for Corman, she launched her own production company in 1982.
Breakthrough with The Terminator
Hurd's breakthrough came when she produced and co-wrote the 1984 science fiction film The Terminator, directed by James Cameron. The film was a commercial success[7] and established Hurd as a prominent producer in Hollywood. She continued her collaboration with Cameron on Aliens (1986) and The Abyss (1989), both of which were critical and commercial successes.[8][9]
1990s and 2000s
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Hurd produced a variety of successful films including The Ghost and the Darkness, Armageddon, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which was added to the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress.[10] Armageddon and Terminator 2 both claimed the top spots at the worldwide box office[11][12] in their respective release years, solidifying Hurd's enduring influence in the realm of blockbuster cinema. Her additional major studio credits in the 90s and 2000s include The Waterdance, Tremors, Aeon Flux, Ang Lee’s Hulk, The Incredible Hulk, The Punisher and many others. She also expanded into television with titles such as Lore, Falling Water, Hunters and The Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead Universe
In 2010, Hurd became an executive producer for the AMC television series The Walking Dead. The show, based on the comic book series of the same name, became a cultural phenomenon and one of the highest-rated series in cable television history.[13] Hurd’s work on The Walking Dead earned her critical acclaim and numerous awards.[14]
In addition, Hurd is an executive producer for all of the series’ spin-offs including Fear The Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon, The Ones Who Live and Dead City.
Documentaries
Hurd has also produced several documentaries including three PBS documentaries focused on Native Americans in partnership with Cherokee director, Valerie Red-Horse Mohl: True Whispers: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers and Choctaw Code Talkers as well as Mankiller, celebrating the life of the late Wilma Mankiller, the first woman elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Her most recent documentary is The YouTube Effect, directed by Alex Winter, which delves into YouTube, a site with humble origins that has gone on to change how we experience the world. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival[15] and was released in the US theatrically by Alamo Drafthouse Films.[16]
Personal life
editIn 1985 Hurd married James Cameron during their collaboration in co-writing The Terminator, which Hurd produced, however, they went on to divorce in 1989.[17] Hurd has one daughter, Lolita De Palma.[18]
Philanthropy and Advocacy
editHurd is an active philanthropist and advocate for various causes. She is involved with organizations such as Women In Film, The Smithsonian Institution, and The Producers Guild of America, where she has served on the board of directors.
Hurd has shared her expertise and perspectives at panels hosted by the US Embassies in Peru, Iceland, Georgia, Estonia, North Macedonia and Zimbabwe, among others. She has also addressed audiences at the EuroImages Conference in Helsinki, Finland,[19] as well as in Tallinn, Estonia at the Black Nights Film Festival, and the AVP/Summit in Trieste, Italy, representing Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI). She remains active with several organizations and groups, underscoring her dedication to various causes. These include the League of Conservation Voters, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the McCain Institute.
Filmography
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Film
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| 1989-1990 | Alien Nation | Consultant |
| 1991 | Cast a Deadly Spell | Producer |
| 1994 | Sugartime | Executive Producer |
| 1995 | Witch Hunt | Producer |
| 1996 | Tremors II: Aftershocks | Executive Consultant |
| 2002–2003 | Adventure Inc. | Executive Producer |
| 2004 | The Coven | Executive Producer |
| 2007 | Welcome to the Jungle | Producer |
| 2010 | The Wronged Man | Executive Producer |
| 2010–2022 | The Walking Dead | Executive Producer |
| 2011 | Last Man Standing | Executive Producer |
| 2013 | Horizon | Executive Producer |
| 2015–2022 | Talking Dead | Consulting Producer |
| 2015–2023 | Fear the Walking Dead | Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Hunters | Executive Producer |
| 2016-2018 | Falling Water | Executive Producer |
| 2017–2018 | Lore | Executive Producer |
| 2020–2021 | The Walking Dead: World Beyond | Executive Producer |
| 2022 | Tales of the Walking Dead | Executive Producer |
| 2023–present | The Walking Dead: Dead City | Executive Producer |
| The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon | Executive Producer | |
| 2024 | The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live | Executive Producer |
Awards and Honors
editHurd has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including:
| Year | Organization | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Saturn Awards | Best Writing, The Terminator |
| 1992 | Film Independent Spirit Awards | Best First Feature, The Waterdance |
| 1993 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films | President's Award |
| 1993 | Saturn Awards | Best Producer |
| 1994 | Florida Film Festival | Enzian Award for Creative Achievement |
| 1998 | Women In Film | Crystal Award |
| 2003 | National Board of Review | Producer’s Award |
| 2003 | Taurus World Stunt Awards | Action Movie Producer Award |
| 2004 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films | President's Award |
| 2007 | New York Women in Film & Television | Muse Award |
| 2007 | Charles Fitzsimons Award | Service to the Producers Guild |
| 2008 | TheWIFTS Foundation International | Visionary Award |
| 2012 | Hollywood Walk of Fame | Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[20] |
| 2012 | Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) Filmmakers Award | Lifetime Achievement |
| 2013 | Deauville American Film Festival | Cartier Award |
| 2013 | Athena Film Festival | Laura Ziskin Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2015 | Producers Guild | David O. Selznick Award in Motion Pictures |
| 2015 | Los Angeles Film Festival | Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award |
| 2015 | Society of Camera Operators | Distinguished Service Award |
| 2015 | Producers Guild | Visionary Award |
| 2016 | Society of Camera Operators | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2017 | Maoriland Film Festival | Best Documentary Feature, Mankiller |
| 2017 | Bozeman International Film Festival | Jury Award, Mankiller |
| 2017 | Comic-Con International | Inkpot Award |
| 2017 | Fangoria | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2017 | Tulsa American Film Festival | Best Documentary Feature Film, Mankiller |
| 2017 | Palm Springs International Film Festival | Audience Award, Best of Fest Selection, Mankiller |
| 2017 | Rome International Film Festival | Best Documentary Feature, Mankiller |
| 2018 | Screamfest | Career Achievement Award |
| 2021 | Locarno Film Festival | Raimondo Rezzonico Award - Best Independent Producer |
| 2023 | Visual Effects Society | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2024 | Online Film Critics Association | Lifetime Achievement Award |
References
edit- ^ "Gale Anne Hurd". Valhalla Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
- ^ "Walking Dead Atlanta Recruitment Event". Producers Guild of America. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
- ^ "Gale Anne Hurd Biography (1955–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
- ^ Fessier, Bruce (January 10, 2018). "'Walking Dead' producer returns home to present 'Mankiller' at Palm Springs festival". The Desert Sun. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
- ^ David, Mark (May 23, 2007). "Gale Anne Hurd and Jonathan Hensleigh's Pasadena Palace". Variety. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
- ^ Harris, Janelle (August 14, 2013). "So What do You Do, Gale Anne Hurd, Executive Producer of the Walking Dead?". Mediabistro. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ "The Terminator". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Aliens". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "The Abyss". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "25 Films Selected for Preservation in National Film Registry". The NewsMarket. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Armageddon". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Terminator 2: Judgment Day". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Porter, Rick (November 19, 2022). "'The Walking Dead' by the Numbers: One of Cable's Biggest Ever Series Bows Out". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Gale Anne Hurd - Executive Producer | The Walking Dead Bios | AMC". www.amc.com. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "The YouTube Effect | 2022 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Gutelle, Sam (August 4, 2023). "'The YouTube Effect' documentary arrives on streaming on August 8". Tubefilter. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Linda Hamilton Says James Cameron's On-Set Affair Didn't End Their Marriage — Best Life". bestlifeonline.com. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Dutka, Elaine (August 2, 1992). "De Palma and Hurd, Made for Each Other". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Frontières 2019: Project Lineup, Awards, Gale Anne Hurd for Finance and Packaging Forum in Helsinki". ScreenAnarchy. January 17, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Chad (October 25, 2019). "Gale Anne Hurd". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
External links
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- Gale Anne Hurd at IMDb
- Official Twitter page
- Official company website Archived April 19, 2020, at the Wayback Machine