David Winters (choreographer)
A dynamic dancer who helped shape the look of 60s pop, choreographing for Elvis and The Monkees before becoming a B-movie filmmaking maverick.
1939–2019 (age 80)·American actor, dancer, and choreographer·Birthday: April 5·The Silent Generation
Biography
David Winters moved from the chorus line to the director's chair with relentless energy. Born in London, he trained as a dancer and landed on Broadway as a teenager, earning a role in the original production of 'West Side Story.' He transitioned to Hollywood, appearing in the film adaptation and becoming a sought-after choreographer for television's burgeoning pop scene. His sharp, youthful moves defined performances on 'Shindig!' and 'Hullabaloo,' and he crafted iconic routines for everyone from Elvis Presley in 'Viva Las Vegas' to The Monkees on their TV show. Never one to sit still, Winters parlayed this success into film production and direction, founding his own company. He churned out a stream of low-budget action and dance films throughout the 70s and 80s, like 'The Last Horror Film' and 'Mission: Kill,' cultivating a niche as a shrewd, fast-working independent filmmaker. His career was a lesson in hustle, transforming the physical language of dance into a passport to multiple corners of the entertainment industry.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
David was born in 1939, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1939
#1 Movie
Gone with the Wind
Best Picture
Gone with the Wind
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1939Born
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1944Started school
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1952Became a teenager
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Could drive
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1957Could vote
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Turned 21
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1969Turned 30
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 40
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 50
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 60
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 70
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 80
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Choreographed musical numbers for Elvis Presley in the film 'Viva Las Vegas' and for The Monkees' television series.
- Performed in the original Broadway production of 'West Side Story' and appeared in its 1961 film adaptation.
- Founded his own production company, Action International Pictures, producing and directing numerous low-budget feature films.
- Won an Emmy Award for his choreography on the TV special 'The Julie Andrews Hour'.
Did You Know?
He was one of the few actors from the Broadway cast of 'West Side Story' to appear in the film, but in a different role (A-rab).
He directed the cult fitness video 'Dancin' with the Stars' in the 1980s.
He discovered and managed actress and model Traci Lords after her career in adult film.
His production company often filmed movies in the Philippines to keep costs low.
“Movement is the actor's first language, spoken before a single word.”
