#david l. wolper

[oldshowbiz]

Wolper Productions on Sunset Blvd

[gregorygalloway]

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory premiered in Chicago, IL on 28 June 1971.

Mel Stuart’s 10-year-old daughter asked him to make a movie out of Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and Stuart showed the book to producer David L. Wolper, who happened to be in talks with Quaker Oats to introduce a new candy bar. Wolper persuaded Quaker Oats to buy the rights to Dahl’s book and to manufacture a Wonka Bar to coincide with the film.

While Dahl agreed to write the screenplay, he missed numerous deadlines and David Seltzer was brought in to complete the script on time. Dahl later disowned the film (he thought it placed too much emphasis on Wonka and not enough on Charlie, and was particularly upset that his choice for Wonka, Spike Milligan, was not hired).

Gene Wilder accepted the role of Wonka, and contributed much to the character, including his costume and his entrance.

The film received mixed reviews when it was first released (although Roger Ebert called it the “best film of its sort since The Wizard of Oz”), and was only a moderate box office success. The film did not begin to achieve its currently popularity until the 1980s through repeated TV airings.

[rosiep66]

“Roots” (1977); prod. Stan Margulies, exec. prod. David L. Wolper

“Roots” (2016); exec. prod. Mark Wolper, exec. prod. LeVar Burton

[oldshowbiz]

Truth or Consequences

[oldshowbiz]

1974 - The plane crash that wiped out Wolper Productions

[oldshowbiz]

David L. Wolper’s “Story Of a...” series was his first foray into the then-new handheld cinema verite technique. Story of a Folk Singer profiled an unknown Hoyt Axton. Story of a Writer profiled the better known Ray Bradbury. There were several more including Story of a Test Pilot, Story of a Wrestler, Story of a Policeman, and this one - Story of a Fireman. 1963.