David L. Wolper facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David L. Wolper
Born	David Lloyd Wolper (1928-01-11)January 11, 1928 New York, New York, U.S.
Died	August 10, 2010(2010-08-10) (aged 82) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California, U.S.
Occupation	television and film producer
Spouse(s)	Toni Carroll (1953–1955; divorced) Margaret Dawn Richard (1958–1969; divorced) Gloria Diane Hill (1974–2010; his death)
Children	3

David Lloyd Wolper (born January 11, 1928 – died August 10, 2010) was a famous American producer of television shows and movies. He created many well-known miniseries like Roots, The Thorn Birds, and North and South. He also produced popular films such as Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and L.A. Confidential.

David Wolper received a special award called the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 57th Academy Awards in 1985. This was for his amazing work producing the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He also helped bring the Olympic Games to the city. His 1971 film, The Hellstrom Chronicle, which was about insects, won an Academy Award.

David Wolper's Early Life and Career

David Wolper was born in New York City. His family was from Eastern Europe. He went to Drake University for a short time. Then, he transferred to the University of Southern California.

Starting in Film and TV

David Wolper began his career by directing a documentary film in 1959. It was called The Race for Space. This film was even nominated for an Academy Award. He also directed other important documentaries. These included Biography (from 1961 to 1963) and The Making of the President 1960 (1963).

In 1964, Wolper sold his company to a large media group called Metromedia. Later, in 1968, he decided to leave Metromedia. He took six film projects with him to start new work. His production company, now known as The Wolper Organization, has been owned by Warner Bros. since 1976.

Awards and Recognition

In 1969, David Wolper received the Golden Plate Award. This award comes from the American Academy of Achievement.

He won an Academy Award for his 1971 film The Hellstrom Chronicle. This movie was about the study of insects. He was the executive producer for it. He also produced many other documentaries and documentary series. Some of these include The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (1968) and This Is Elvis (1981). Another famous one was Imagine: John Lennon (1988).

Tragic Event During Filming

In 1974, a sad event happened during one of his film projects. A crew was filming for a National Geographic history show. Their plane crashed in the White Mountains. All 35 people on board died, including 31 of Wolper's crew members. The film they had shot was found in the wreckage. It was later shown in the television series Primal Man.

Olympic Games and Later Life

In 1984, David Wolper played a big role in bringing the Olympic Games to Los Angeles. He also produced the amazing opening and closing ceremonies for the games. Because of this important work, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy Awards the next year.

In 1988, David Wolper was honored by being added to the Television Hall of Fame. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to television.

David Wolper passed away on August 10, 2010. He died at his home in Beverly Hills from heart problems and complications from Parkinson's disease. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.

David Wolper's Productions

David Wolper's company was involved in many different productions. He started as a distributor for early shows. Then, he became an executive producer with The Race for Space in 1958. Here is a list of some of the productions he worked on:

See also

• Norman Lear
• Aaron Spelling
• Alan Landsburg