David Kirschner

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title: "David Kirschner" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1955-births", "american-animated-film-producers", "american-illustrators", "american-male-screenwriters", "american-television-producers", "animation-screenwriters", "film-producers-from-california", "hanna-barbera-people", "universal-animation-studios-people", "living-people"] description: "American producer and screenwriter" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Kirschner" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American producer and screenwriter ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	David Kirschner
image	David Kirschner by Gage Skidmore.jpg
caption	Kirschner at the 2024 WonderCon
birth_name	David Maxwell Kirschner
birth_date
birth_place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
alma mater	USC School of Cinematic Arts
years_active	1983–present
occupation
::

| name = David Kirschner | image = David Kirschner by Gage Skidmore.jpg | caption = Kirschner at the 2024 WonderCon | birth_name = David Maxwell Kirschner | birth_date = | birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | alma mater = USC School of Cinematic Arts | years_active = 1983–present | occupation = David Maxwell Kirschner (born May 29, 1955) is an American film and television producer and screenwriter. His producing credits include Don Bluth's An American Tail (also wrote) and Titan A.E. animated features as well as Cats Don't Dance, Curious George, the Child's Play horror franchise.

Career

After studying at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, Kirschner began his career designing album cover art for Neil Diamond, including The Jazz Singer, and illustrating characters for the Muppets and Sesame Street. In 1983, Kirschner created and released children's book series Rose Petal Place, which spawned two Television specials, toys, clothing, and a wide array of licensed consumer products. In 1986, Kirschner created and executive produced An American Tail, which was co-executive produced by Steven Spielberg, and, at its release, was the highest-grossing non-Disney produced animated feature of all time. It was followed by its theatrical sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991), the television series Fievel's American Tails, and two direct-to-video sequels. In 1986, David Kirschner signed a deal with United Artists Pictures and MGM/UA Television for development, production and distribution of major motion picture and television projects for a two-year deal. Kirschner was appointed chairman of Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1989, where he wrote / created and executive produced many films, specials and shows, including Wake, Rattle & Roll, Gravedale High and The Pirates of Dark Water.

Kirschner also designed the Chucky animatronic doll which is featured in the Child's Play series. He has produced all seven films in the original franchise, as well as executive producing the Chucky television series. Other notable productions include 1997's Cats Don't Dance, winner of the 25th annual Annie Award for Best Animated Feature, 2006's Curious George, based upon the book series of the same name, Martian Child, and Golden Globe-nominated Miss Potter. His 2010s/2020s work includes executive producer on Curious George, Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney+), Random (In Pre-Production for The Weinstein Company) and Garden District (In-Development for Dimension Films). Kirschner is currently head of his own production company, David Kirschner Productions.

Filmography

Films

::data[format=table title=""] | Title | Year | Functioned as | Notes | Producer | Executive producer | Writer | An American Tail | Child's Play | Child's Play 2 | Child's Play 3 | An American Tail: Fievel Goes West | Once Upon a Forest | Hocus Pocus | The Flintstones | The Pagemaster | Cats Don't Dance | Bride of Chucky | Titan A.E. | Frailty | Secondhand Lions | Seed of Chucky | Thru the Moebius Strip | Curious George | Miss Potter | Martian Child | Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! | Curse of Chucky | Kristy | Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle | Cult of Chucky | Curious George: Royal Monkey | Curious George: Go West, Go Wild | Curious George: Cape Ahoy | Hocus Pocus 2 | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1986 | | | | Animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1988 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1990 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1991 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1991 | | | | Animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1993 | | | | Animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1993 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1994 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1994 | | | | Live action / animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1997 | | | | Animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1998 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2000 | | | | Animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2001 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2003 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2004 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2005 | | | | Animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2006 | | | | Animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2006 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2007 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2009 | | | | Animated / Direct-to-DVD | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2013 | | | | Direct-to-DVD | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2014 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2015 | | | | Animated / Direct-to-DVD | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2017 | | | | Direct-to-DVD | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2019 | | | | Animated / Direct-to-DVD | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2020 | | | | Animated / Direct-to-streaming | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2021 | | | | Animated / Direct-to-streaming | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2022 | | | | Direct-to-streaming | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Television films and specials

::data[format=table] | Title | Year | Functioned as | Notes | Producer | Executive producer | Writer | Rose Petal Place | Rose Petal Place: Real Friends | ...Where's Rodney? | Poochinski | The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story | The Last Halloween | Monster in My Pocket: The Big Scream | The Halloween Tree | The Town Santa Forgot | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1984 | | | | Animated special | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1985 | | | | Animated special | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1990 | | | | Unsold pilot | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1990 | | | | Unsold pilot | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1990 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1991 | | | | Live action / animated special | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1992 | | | | Animated special | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1993 | | | | Animated | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1993 | | | | Animated special | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Television series

::data[format=table title=""] | Title | Year(s) | Functioned as | Notes | Creator | Executive producer | Writer | Gravedale High | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures | Wake, Rattle and Roll | The Pirates of Dark Water | Fievel's American Tails | Fish Police | The Addams Family | Capitol Critters | Earth: Final Conflict | Five Days to Midnight | Curious George | Chucky | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1990 | | | | Animated (13 episodes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1990 | | | | Animated (13 episodes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1990–1991 | | | | Live action / animated (50 episodes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1991–1993 | | | | Animated (21 episodes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1992 | | | | Animated (13 episodes) / Also creative consultant | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1992 | | | | Animated (6 episodes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1992–1993 | | | | Animated (21 episodes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1992–1996 | | | | Animated (13 episodes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1997–2002 | | | | Executive producer (110 episodes) / Teleplay (Episode: "Law & Order") | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2004 | | | | Mini-series (5 episodes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2006–2022 | | | | Animated (198 episodes + 3 specials) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2021–2024 | | | | 24 episodes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

References

References

1. (1986-09-03). "Kirschner Pacts At UA For Pictures, MGM/UA To Work On Television". [[Variety (magazine).
2. "25th Annual Annie Award Nominess and Winners".

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