| Todd Durham | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Notable Works: | Hotel Transylvania franchise (creator) Hyperspace AKA Gremloids Visions of Sugar-Plums Mr. Smith Goes To Hell |
| Website: | ToddDurham.com |
Todd Durham is an American filmmaker, comedy writer, and novelist, best known as the creator of the concept for the Hotel Transylvania film franchise and as the creator of Lord Buckethead. Durham's works, including over forty screenplays and books, frequently combine fantasy storylines with character comedy.
Durham studied comedy writing at USC under brothers Danny Simon and Neil Simon.[1]
Based on a half-hour 35mm film that he wrote and directed, a North Carolina movie studio signed Todd Durham to a three-picture feature deal.[2] [3] Durham then wrote and directed a low-budget comedy film, Hyperspace, starring Chris Elliott and Paula Poundstone.[4] The film was the first appearance of the "intergalactic spacelord" Lord Buckethead, a persona used by several people to stand in British elections.[5] In 2017, Durham asserted his ownership of the character, and future incarnations have been authorized by him.[6]
Durham signed with Rick Jaffa, then agent at William Morris, and worked as an uncredited script doctor on comedy projects.[7] [8] He wrote screenplays for comedy actors, directors, and producers, the National Lampoon film franchise, and Saturday Night Live alumni.[9] [10] [11] Durham ghostwrote celebrity autobiographies, and authored his first novel, Mr. Smith Goes To Hell, and its screenplay.[12]
During his years as a studio script doctor, Durham came up with the concept of Hotel Transylvania and brought it to Sony Pictures Animation. The first film in the series, Hotel Transylvania, was released in 2012 with mixed reviews from critics.