Alan Spencer
Encyclopedia
Alan Spencer is an American
television
writer
and producer
, known for creating the 1980s satirical police
series Sledge Hammer!
. He was one of the youngest people ever to join the Writers Guild of America
, writing for television at the age of fifteen. He is a "script doctor
" for feature film
s.
to watch his hero Mel Brooks
direct. Marty Feldman
, who had a fondness for mischief, recognized that the young interloper didn't belong and took Spencer under his wing as his "guest.". Spencer was a huge fan of Feldman's and knew the comedian's writing credits for British television, a rarity, as most Americans weren't well versed in Feldman's versatility, and the normally private Feldman recognized Spencer as a kindred spirit. Feldman had also began writing at the young age of fifteen and gave Spencer early guidance.
Marty Feldman later died of a heart attack while making the film Yellowbeard
and on May 16, 1984 Alan Spencer lost another friend: the legendary and offbeat comedian Andy Kaufman
. Kaufman once invited Spencer over to his home and subjected him to a marathon of forty eight hours of The People's Court
, a series that Kaufman religiously recorded. The one-two punch of losing both his friends devastated Spencer. He vowed to honor their influences and do unconventional work. In 1988, no less than Mel Brooks would tap Spencer to co-create the short-lived NBC sitcom The Nutt House
with him after the success of Spencer's "Sledge Hammer!" Brooks had no idea that Alan Spencer was the same young kid who had been buzzing around the set of "Young Frankenstein.".
After the worldwide syndicated success of his television series "Sledge Hammer!" Spencer was tapped to write and direct his own film for Columbia Pictures
called Hexed
. Spencer wasn't accorded the same level of creative control he had on his signature series and, thanks to a subsequent regime change at the studio, the film was recut after a handful of successful previews. The DVD release of "Hexed" is not the original director's cut which Spencer claims "probably only exists in a dumpster outside Denny's."
Despite being called one of "the nation's nobler madcaps" by Washington Post critic Tom Shales
, Spencer has a serious side as well. He wrote a two hour science fiction
MOW entitled "The Tomorrow Man" starring Julian Sands
that had an ecological theme.
, Kenneth Lonergan
and Ed Solomon
as being one of the best "script doctors" in the business. Spencer has stated that being included in that company was a career highlight.
Currently now filming comedy 'Bullet in the Face' for IFC/Just for Laughs which was created by Spencer who is also an executive Producer on the series, about a psychotic criminal trying to juggle the demands of violence and an active social life.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, known for creating the 1980s satirical police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
series Sledge Hammer!
Sledge Hammer!
Sledge Hammer! is an American satirical police sitcom produced by New World Television that ran for two seasons on ABC from 1986 to 1988. The series was created by Alan Spencer and stars David Rasche as Inspector Sledge Hammer, a preposterous caricature of the standard "cop on the edge" character,...
. He was one of the youngest people ever to join the Writers Guild of America
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions:* The Writers Guild of America, East , representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi....
, writing for television at the age of fifteen. He is a "script doctor
Script doctor
A script doctor, also called script consultant, is a highly-skilled screenwriter, hired by a film or television production, to rewrite or polish specific aspects of an existing screenplay, including structure, characterization, dialogue, pacing, theme, and other elements...
" for feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s.
Early years
Spencer, at the age of fourteen, sneaked into Twentieth Century Fox Studios and onto the set of Young FrankensteinYoung Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein is a 1974 American comedy film directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The supporting cast includes Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Richard...
to watch his hero Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
direct. Marty Feldman
Marty Feldman
Martin Alan "Marty" Feldman was an English comedy writer, comedian and actor who starred in a series of British television comedy shows, including At Last the 1948 Show, and Marty, which won two BAFTA awards and was the first Saturn Award winner for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Young...
, who had a fondness for mischief, recognized that the young interloper didn't belong and took Spencer under his wing as his "guest.". Spencer was a huge fan of Feldman's and knew the comedian's writing credits for British television, a rarity, as most Americans weren't well versed in Feldman's versatility, and the normally private Feldman recognized Spencer as a kindred spirit. Feldman had also began writing at the young age of fifteen and gave Spencer early guidance.
Marty Feldman later died of a heart attack while making the film Yellowbeard
Yellowbeard
Yellowbeard is a 1983 comedy film by Graham Chapman, along with Peter Cook, Bernard McKenna and David Sherlock. It was directed by Mel Damski, and was Marty Feldman's last film appearance.-Plot:...
and on May 16, 1984 Alan Spencer lost another friend: the legendary and offbeat comedian Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...
. Kaufman once invited Spencer over to his home and subjected him to a marathon of forty eight hours of The People's Court
The People's Court
The People's Court is a US television court show in which small claims court cases are heard, though what is shown is actually a binding arbitration....
, a series that Kaufman religiously recorded. The one-two punch of losing both his friends devastated Spencer. He vowed to honor their influences and do unconventional work. In 1988, no less than Mel Brooks would tap Spencer to co-create the short-lived NBC sitcom The Nutt House
The Nutt House
The Nutt House is a short-lived situation comedy that aired on NBC as part of its 1989 Fall lineup.-Overview:The Nutt House was the creation of executive producers Mel Brooks and Alan Spencer and was a broad farce about a once-prestigious New York City hotel which had of late fallen on hard times,...
with him after the success of Spencer's "Sledge Hammer!" Brooks had no idea that Alan Spencer was the same young kid who had been buzzing around the set of "Young Frankenstein.".
After the worldwide syndicated success of his television series "Sledge Hammer!" Spencer was tapped to write and direct his own film for Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
called Hexed
Hexed
Hexed is a 1993 comedy film, starring Arye Gross, Claudia Christian, Adrienne Shelly, and R. Lee Ermey, and written and directed by Alan Spencer, best known as the creator of the satirical TV series Sledge Hammer!. The dark-humored plot centers on a nebbishy clerk who gets picked up by a...
. Spencer wasn't accorded the same level of creative control he had on his signature series and, thanks to a subsequent regime change at the studio, the film was recut after a handful of successful previews. The DVD release of "Hexed" is not the original director's cut which Spencer claims "probably only exists in a dumpster outside Denny's."
Despite being called one of "the nation's nobler madcaps" by Washington Post critic Tom Shales
Tom Shales
Thomas William "Tom" Shales is an American critic of television programming and operations. He is best known as TV critic for The Washington Post; in 1988, Shales received the Pulitzer Prize...
, Spencer has a serious side as well. He wrote a two hour science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
MOW entitled "The Tomorrow Man" starring Julian Sands
Julian Sands
Julian M. Sands is an English actor, known for his roles in the Best Picture nominee The Killing Fields, the cult film Warlock, A Room with a View, Arachnophobia, Vatel, the television series 24 and as Jor-El in the television series Smallville.-Career:Sands began his film career appearing in...
that had an ecological theme.
Present day
According to the magazine Creative Screenwriting, Spencer has anonymously rewritten a few films that have grossed over one hundred million and his prowess has actually gotten more than one its greenlight. He was profiled in an article entitled "The Craft of Rewriting" alongside such notables as Scott FrankScott Frank
Scott Frank is an American screenwriter & director.- Filmography :*Plain Clothes *Dead Again *Little Man Tate *Malice *Get Shorty...
, Kenneth Lonergan
Kenneth Lonergan
Kenneth Lonergan is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director.-Background and education:Born in the Bronx, New York City, New York, Lonergan began writing in high school at the Walden School .His first play, The Rennings Children, was chosen for the Young Playwright's Festival in...
and Ed Solomon
Ed Solomon
Ed Solomon is an American writer, producer and director. After graduating from Saratoga High School and UCLA, Solomon came to fame as one half of the writing duo that created the 1989 film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and its sequel.Solomon was born in Saratoga, California...
as being one of the best "script doctors" in the business. Spencer has stated that being included in that company was a career highlight.
Currently now filming comedy 'Bullet in the Face' for IFC/Just for Laughs which was created by Spencer who is also an executive Producer on the series, about a psychotic criminal trying to juggle the demands of violence and an active social life.