David Giler was a renowned American filmmaker, whose career in the motion picture industry spanned over six decades. Born on July 23, 1943, he began his journey in the early 1960s as a writer for television programs such as Kraft Suspense Theatre and The Man from U.N.C.L.E..
As his career progressed, he transitioned to screenplays in the 1970s, contributing to films like The Parallax View and the original Fun With Dick and Jane. His first production venture was in 1970, with the critically panned Myra Breckinridge, an adaptation of Gore Vidal's novel, which he co-wrote with director Michael Sarne.
Giler's most notable achievement was his involvement in the production of the iconic horror thriller Alien in 1979. He collaborated with Walter Hill to produce the film, and the two became embroiled in a high-profile dispute with the original writer, Dan O'Bannon, over screenplay credit. Giler and Hill claimed that they rewrote the script from scratch, while O'Bannon argued that they only made minor changes to the original script.
Giler and Hill continued to work together on several projects, including the Alien franchise. They were responsible for the final rewrite of Alien 3, which controversially killed off the Bishop, Hicks, and Newt characters from Aliens. Some of the films he wrote during this period include The Money Pit, Southern Comfort, and an uncredited rewrite for Beverly Hills Cop II.
Additionally, Giler directed one film, The Black Bird, in 1975.
