Chuck Russell

From a job sweeping soundstages, Charles 'Chuck' Russell worked his way up to line producer and assistant director on low-budget items for Sunn Classics and for producer Roger Corman (as on "Death Race 2000," 1975). He copped his first producing credit on the modestly made and rather routine horror flick "The Hearse" (1980) and moved to executive status for the similarly derivative "Hell Night" (1981) and "The Seduction" (1982). Russell's first produced screenplay, "Dreamscape" (1984), showed considerably more imagination, with Dennis Quaid discovering he has the ability to enter other people's dreams. For several years Russell continued making ordinary teen-oriented fare, reteaming with Corman for "Body Rock" (1984). His most notable film during this period was the popular and enjoyable Rodney Dangerfield comedy, "Back to School" (1986).