Chuck Russell

CHUCK RUSSELL

A graduate of the University of Illinois at Champagne, versatile writer, producer and director, Charles Russell started his career sweeping stages. Gradually he made his way up the corporate ladder under the tutelage of teachers like Roger Corman.

By 1984 he had his first produced screenplay, Dreamscape, with Dennis Quaid. The next few years, he continued to work on teen films like Body Rock (1984), and Back to School (1986) starring Rodney Dangerfield.

Russell took the director's chair for the first time in the late '80s helming his own screenplay, A Nightmare on Elm Street III (1987). The film was a hit, out grossing its two predecessors combined and became the highest-grossing independent film ever made at the time of its release.

After the disappointing horror, The Blob (1688), Russell bounced back in a big way six years later with the release, The Mask (1994). With the help of impressive technical wizardry and comic star Jim Carrey's equally remarkable facial paroxysms, the film became a huge hit, eventually earning more than $100 million.

Russell took advantage of his new successful reputation in Hollywood and started working with big names and big budget films such as Eraser (1996) with Arnold Schwarzenegger and The Scorpion King (2002) with WWF star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Married, Russell is a father of one son with his wife Patti.

Filmography (director):

The Scorpion King (2002)
Bless the Child (2000)
Eraser (1996)
The Mask (1994)
The Blob (1988)
A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

Filmography (producer):

Collateral (2004)
Eraser (1996)
The Mask (1994)
Back to School (1986)
Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985)
Hell Night (1981)

Filmography (writer):

The Blob (1988)
A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
Dreamscape (1984)