Stephen Herek

STEPHEN HEREK

Date of Birth: November 10, 1958

Born in San Antonio, Texas, Herek attended the local University of Texas where he studied film before moving to Los Angeles in the early '80s to work for Roger Corman Productions as a film editor. By the mid-'80s, he made his feature film directing debut with a script he also wrote, Critters. The "Gremlins" knockoff, which spawned two sequels was a good base for Herek showing what he could do with a low budget.

The following year he released his second film, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. The film, based on two buffoonish teens travelling through time to help brush up their history knowledge for a test, was a box office smash and very influential on the teen culture. This film was followed by two more hit films, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991) and The Mighty Ducks (1992). Although not as inventive or fun as his first three features, Mighty Ducks scored big at the box office and led to a new team in the NHL.

Following another box office success, The Three Musketeers (1993), starring Charlie Sheen, Chris O'Donnell, Kiefer Sutherland and Oliver Platt, Herek decided to try a new genre with a few less laughs. Mr. Holland's Opus was made for an older audience, and was received well by critics and viewers alike. Whatever the reason, Herek returned to his younger audience the very next year with the live-action remake of 101 Dalmations.

Hitting his first snag in a long line of box office hits, Holy Man was, for Herek, a disaster film. The movie, in which he also made his debut as a producer was panned by critics and largely ignored by viewers. With his first hiccup, Herek took a few years before venturing into his next couple of projects, Rock Star (2001) and Life or Something Like It (2002). Unfortunately, both movies were also box office bombs. Herek tried again with the action comedy Man of the House (2005), starring Tommy Lee Jones.

Filmography:

Man of the House (2005)
Life or Something Like It (2002)
Rock Star (2001)
Holy Man (1998)
101 Dalmatians (1996)
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
The Three Musketeers (1993)
The Mighty Ducks (1992)
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
Critters (1986)