Michael Finnell is a film producer active from the 1970s to the present. He has produced several horror-comedy films, particularly with the director Joe Dante. Finnell worked for the American producer Roger Corman before emerging as a producer in his own right.
His first films were Avalanche (1978) and Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979), with Corman. One of the first without Corman was the movie Airplane!, in which he was listed in the end credits as "generally in charge of a lot of things". Working with Dante, Finnell then produced the modest hit The Howling in 1981 and the blockbuster Gremlins in 1984. Dante and the special effects designer Chris Walas have said that Finnell's producing style was influenced by Corman, in that Finnell was very concerned about budgeting and wanted to make sure even cheap purchases contributed to the final film. The anecdote Walas told was of Finnell engaging in long phone calls over the purchase of a kitchen knife to be used in Gremlins.[1]
Finnell continued to produce several of Dante's films, including Explorers (1985), The 'Burbs (1989), (1990), Matinee (1993) and Small Soldiers (1998). Without Dante, Finnell's films include Milk Money (1994) and Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999). For one of his films produced without Dante, Newsies, Finnell was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Picture.
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Film | Credit | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Avalanche | Associate producer | |||
| 1979 | Rock 'n' Roll High School | ||||
| 1981 | The Howling | ||||
| 1983 | Associate producer | ||||
| 1984 | Gremlins | ||||
| 1985 | Explorers | Executive producer | |||
| 1987 | Innerspace | ||||
| 1989 | The 'Burbs | ||||
| 1990 | |||||
| 1991 | Deceived | ||||
| 1992 | Newsies | ||||
| 1993 | Matinee | ||||
| 1994 | Milk Money | Executive producer | |||
| 1998 | Small Soldiers | ||||
| 1999 | Teaching Mrs. Tingle | Co-executive producer |
| Year | Film | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Hollywood Boulevard | Production assistant | |
| Cannonball | |||
| 1980 | Airplane! | Generally in charge of a lot of things |
| Year | Film | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Cannonball | Helicopter Pilot | |
| 2003 | 21 Grams | Fat Prisoner |
| Year | Film | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Grand Theft Auto | Production manager: Second unit | |
| 1978 | Starhops | Production manager |
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Eating Raoul | The producers wish to thank |
| Zapped! | Thanks | |
| 1983 | Get Crazy | Special thanks |
| 1987 | The Puppetoon Movie |
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Executive producer | Television film | ||
| 2002−03 | Jeremiah | Executive producer |