Gale Anne Hurd
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Main otherScript error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image Gale Anne Hurd (born October 25, 1955) is an American film and television producer, the founder of Valhalla Entertainment (formerly Pacific Western Productions),[1] and a former recording secretary for the Producers Guild of America.[2] Her notable works include The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), Armageddon (1998), Mankiller (2017) and The Walking Dead (2010–2022).
Early life
Gale Anne Hurd was born on October 25, 1955, in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Lolita (née Jordan) and Frank E. Hurd, an investor.[3] She grew up in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California and graduated from Palm Springs High School in 1973.[4] Hurd attended Stanford University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and communications with a minor in political science in 1977.[5]
Film career
Early Career
Hurd began her career in the entertainment industry as an executive assistant to Roger Corman at New World Pictures. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming involved in various aspects of production,[6] and became the head of marketing. After co-producing her first film for Corman, Smokey Bites the Dust (1981), she launched her own production company in 1982.
Breakthrough
Hurd's breakthrough came when she produced and co-wrote the 1984 science fiction film The Terminator, directed by James Cameron. The film was a commercial success[7] and established Hurd as a prominent producer in Hollywood. The Terminator is Hurd's only real writing credit in her entire career. She subsequently worked only as a producer or executive producer. She continued her collaboration with Cameron on Aliens (1986) and The Abyss (1989), both of which were successes at the box office.[8][9]
1990s and 2000s
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Hurd produced a variety of successful films including Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), which became the second Terminator film to be added to the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress in 2024,[10] The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) and Armageddon (1998). Terminator 2 and Armageddon both claimed the top spots at the worldwide box office in their respective release years,[11][12] solidifying Hurd's enduring influence in the realm of blockbuster cinema. Her additional major studio credits in the 90s and 2000s include Tremors (1990), The Waterdance (1992), Hulk (2003), The Punisher, Æon Flux (2005), The Incredible Hulk (2008) and many others. She also expanded into television with titles such as Falling Water (2016–18).
In 2010, Hurd became an executive producer for the AMC television series The Walking Dead. The show, based on the comic book series of the same name, became a cultural phenomenon and one of the highest-rated series in cable television history.[13] Hurd’s work on The Walking Dead earned her critical acclaim and numerous awards.[14] In addition, Hurd is an executive producer for all of the series' spin-offs including Fear The Walking Dead (2015–23), Daryl Dixon (2023–present), The Ones Who Live (2024) and Dead City (2023–present).
Documentaries
Hurd has also produced several documentaries including three PBS documentaries focused on Native Americans in partnership with Cherokee director, Valerie Red-Horse Mohl: True Whispers: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers and Choctaw Code Talkers as well as Mankiller, celebrating the life of the late Wilma Mankiller, the first woman elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Hurd's most recent documentary is The YouTube Effect, directed by Alex Winter, which delves into YouTube, a site with humble origins that has gone on to change how we experience the world. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival[15] and was released in the US theatrically by Alamo Drafthouse Films.[16]
Personal life
In 1985, Hurd married James Cameron following their collaboration on The Terminator. They divorced in 1989.[17] Hurd then married Brian De Palma, with whom she had a daughter, Lolita De Palma.[18]
Philanthropy and Advocacy
Hurd is an active philanthropist and advocate for various causes. She is involved with organizations such as Women In Film, The Smithsonian Institution, and The Producers Guild of America, where she has served on the board of directors.
Hurd has shared her expertise and perspectives at panels hosted by the US Embassies in Peru, Iceland, Georgia, Estonia, North Macedonia and Zimbabwe, among others. She has also addressed audiences at the EuroImages Conference in Helsinki, Finland,[19] as well as in Tallinn, Estonia at the Black Nights Film Festival, and the AVP/Summit in Trieste, Italy, representing Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI). She remains active with several organizations and groups, underscoring her dedication to various causes. These include the League of Conservation Voters, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the McCain Institute.
Filmography
Films
She was producer for all films unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Film | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Smokey Bites the Dust | Co-producer | |
| 1984 | The Terminator | Producer, screenwriter | |
| 1986 | Aliens | ||
| 1988 | Bad Dreams | ||
| Alien Nation | |||
| 1989 | The Abyss | ||
| 1990 | Downtown | Executive producer | |
| Tremors | Executive producer | ||
| 1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Executive producer | |
| 1992 | The Waterdance | ||
| Raising Cain | |||
| 1994 | No Escape | ||
| Safe Passage | |||
| 1995 | Bedtime Story | Short film | |
| 1996 | The Ghost and the Darkness | ||
| 1997 | The Relic | ||
| Dante's Peak | |||
| Switchback | |||
| 1998 | Armageddon | ||
| Dead Man on Campus | |||
| 1999 | Virus | ||
| Dick | |||
| 2002 | Clockstoppers | ||
| True Whispers | |||
| 2003 | Hulk | ||
| Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines | Executive producer | ||
| 2004 | The Punisher | ||
| 2005 | Æon Flux | ||
| 2007 | Welcome to the Jungle | Direct-to-video film | |
| 2008 | The Incredible Hulk | ||
| Punisher: War Zone | |||
| 2010 | Choctaw Code Talkers | ||
| 2013 | Very Good Girls | Executive producer | |
| 2017 | Mankiller | Executive producer | |
| 2018 | Hell Fest | ||
| 2022 | The YouTube Effect |
Writer
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The Terminator | Co-writing with James Cameron |
Production manager or production assistant
| Year | Film | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Rock 'n' Roll High School | Production assistant | Uncredited |
| 1980 | Humanoids from the Deep | Production assistant | |
| Battle Beyond the Stars | Assistant production manager | ||
| Alligator | Production assistant | Uncredited |
Location management
| Year | Film | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Island of the Fishmen | Location manager: Maui, additional sequences, US version |
Music department
| Year | Film | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Punisher | Executive soundtrack producer | Uncredited |
Executive counsultant
| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Tremors 2: Aftershocks |
Television
She was executive producer for all films unless otherwise noted.
| Year(s) | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Cast a Deadly Spell | Producer | Television movie |
| 1994 | Witch Hunt | Producer | Television movie |
| The Making of Escape from Absolom | Television documentary special | ||
| 1995 | Sugartime | Television movie | |
| 2002–2003 | Adventure Inc. | 10 episodes | |
| 2004 | The Coven | Television movie | |
| 2005 | Breadwinners | Television movie | |
| 2009 | The Pirate Code: Real Pirates | Television movie | |
| 2010 | The Wronged Man | Television movie | |
| 2010–2022 | The Walking Dead | 177 episodes | |
| 2011 | Last Man Standing | Television movie | |
| 2013 | Horizon | Television movie | |
| 2015–2022 | Talking Dead | Consulting producer | 45 episodes |
| 2015–2023 | Fear the Walking Dead | 113 episodes | |
| 2016 | Hunters | 13 episodes | |
| 2016–2018 | Falling Water | 20 episodes | |
| 2017–2018 | Lore | 10 episodes | |
| 2020–2021 | The Walking Dead: World Beyond | 20 episodes | |
| 2021 | The Walking Dead: Origins | Consulting producer | Documerntary, 4 episodes |
| 2022 | Tales of the Walking Dead | 6 episodes | |
| The Walking Dead: The Making of the Final Season | Consulting producer | Television documentary special | |
| 2023 | The Walking Dead: Dead City | 6 episodes | |
| 2023–present | The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon | 12 episodes | |
| 2024 | The Walking Dead: The Returrn | Television documentary special | |
| The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live | 6 episodes |
Poduction coordinator
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | The Georgia Peaches | Television movie |
Camera and electrical department
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Making of Escape from Absolom | Additional videography | Television documentary special |
Consultant
| Years | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1989–1990 | Alien Nation | 21 episodes |
Awards and Honors
Hurd has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including:
| Year | Organization | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Saturn Awards | Best Writing, The Terminator |
| 1992 | Film Independent Spirit Awards | Best First Feature, The Waterdance |
| 1993 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films | President's Award |
| 1993 | Saturn Awards | Best Producer |
| 1994 | Florida Film Festival | Enzian Award for Creative Achievement |
| 1998 | Women In Film | Crystal Award |
| 2003 | National Board of Review | Producer’s Award |
| 2003 | Taurus World Stunt Awards | Action Movie Producer Award |
| 2004 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films | President's Award |
| 2007 | New York Women in Film & Television | Muse Award |
| 2007 | Charles Fitzsimons Award | Service to the Producers Guild |
| 2008 | TheWIFTS Foundation International | Visionary Award |
| 2012 | Hollywood Walk of Fame | Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[20] |
| 2012 | Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) Filmmakers Award | Lifetime Achievement |
| 2013 | Deauville American Film Festival | Cartier Award |
| 2013 | Athena Film Festival | Laura Ziskin Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2015 | Producers Guild | David O. Selznick Award in Motion Pictures |
| 2015 | Los Angeles Film Festival | Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award |
| 2015 | Society of Camera Operators | Distinguished Service Award |
| 2015 | Producers Guild | Visionary Award |
| 2016 | Society of Camera Operators | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2017 | Maoriland Film Festival | Best Documentary Feature, Mankiller |
| 2017 | Bozeman International Film Festival | Jury Award, Mankiller |
| 2017 | Comic-Con International | Inkpot Award |
| 2017 | Fangoria | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2017 | Tulsa American Film Festival | Best Documentary Feature Film, Mankiller |
| 2017 | Palm Springs International Film Festival | Audience Award, Best of Fest Selection, Mankiller |
| 2017 | Rome International Film Festival | Best Documentary Feature, Mankiller |
| 2018 | Screamfest | Career Achievement Award |
| 2021 | Locarno Film Festival | Raimondo Rezzonico Award - Best Independent Producer |
| 2023 | Visual Effects Society | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2024 | Online Film Critics Association | Lifetime Achievement Award |
References
External links
- Template:Trim/ Template:PAGENAMEBASE at IMDbTemplate:EditAtWikidataScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Official Twitter page
- Official company website Template:Webarchive
Template:Navboxes Template:Authority control
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- Pages with script errors
- Pages with broken file links
- 1955 births
- 20th-century American screenwriters
- 20th-century American women writers
- Film producers from Los Angeles
- American people of Jewish descent
- Television producers from California
- American women television producers
- American women screenwriters
- Living people
- Stanford University alumni
- American women film producers
- Screenwriters from Los Angeles
- 21st-century American women