Dan Curtis
American director and producer of television and film
About Dan Curtis
Lived 1927 – 2006 (aged 78). Dan Curtis was an American film director, film producer, screenwriter, television producer and director.
Daniel Mayer Cherkoss (August 12, 1927 – March 27, 2006
Curtis is also known to horror film fans for his work on several horror-themed television series and films, including The Night Stalker (1972) and its sequel The Night Strangler (1973), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1974) and Trilogy of Terror (1975). He also directed three feature films – the Dark Shadows spinoffs House of Dark Shadows (1970) and Night of Dark Shadows (1971), and the supernatural horror Burnt Offerings (1976).
Curtis was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards, winning Outstanding Limited Series for War and Remembrance at the 41st Primetime Emmy Awards, for which he also won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials at the 42nd Directors Guild of America Awards. He also won the Saturn Award for Best Director for Burnt Offerings.
Early life Curtis was born Daniel Mayer Cherkoss His father, Edward Cherkoss, was a dentist.
Curtis's rights to Dark Shadows remain with his estate, which signed a deal with Warner Bros. for a 2012 Dark Shadows movie. The film stars Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins, was directed by Tim Burton, and was released in May 2012. After the film's end credits, there is a dedication to Dan Curtis. In 2023, Curtis was inducted into the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards' Monster Kid Hall of Fame.
Personal life Curtis and his wife Norma had three daughters – Cathy, Tracy and Linda (died 1975).
Outstanding Limited Series
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie
Outstanding Limited Series
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie Saturn Awards 1977 Best Director
Sitges Film Festival 1977 Best Director TCA Awards 1989 Career Achievement Award Western Heritage Awards 1980 Fictional Television Drama The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang
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Important facts
People in Dan Curtis's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Dan Curtis?
American director and producer of television and film (1927–2006)
When was Dan Curtis born?
Dan Curtis was born on 12 August 1927 in Bridgeport.
When did Dan Curtis die?
Dan Curtis died on 27 March 2006 in Brentwood.
What was Dan Curtis's occupation?
Dan Curtis was a film director, film producer, screenwriter, television producer and director.
What nationality was Dan Curtis?
Dan Curtis was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dan Curtis. https://biography.guide/dan-curtis/
MLA: "Dan Curtis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dan-curtis/.
Chicago: "Dan Curtis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dan-curtis/.
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