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IMDbPro

Kirk R. Thatcher

  • Director
  • Writer
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Kirk R. Thatcher
Follows a lycanthrope superhero who fights evil using the abilities given to him by a curse brought on by his bloodline.
Play trailer1:27
Werewolf by Night (2022)
3 Videos
6 Photos
Kirk R. Thatcher is an Emmy award winning writer/producer, an award winning television, commercial and viral video director, as well as a creature maker and designer for both films and television.

Kirk grew up in Los Angeles, and was making films by the age of 10, all involving creatures, space ships or broad comedy. Self taught in the field of Creature Effects he began at age nineteen working at Industrial Light and Magic, designing, creating and puppeteering creatures for blockbuster films such as, Return of the Jedi, Star Trek II, Star Trek III, E.T., Poltergeist, and Gremlins. He was also an associate producer on Star Trek IV, in which he had a memorable cameo as the Punk on the Bus, rocking out to the Punk anthem he both wrote and sang, called, "I HateYou!"

Kirk has co-written several Muppet films including Muppet Treasure Island, and directed four television movies: The Muppets Wizard of Oz which premiered at Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Film Festival, "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, The Muppets Letters to Santa as well as the Lifetime Network Thanksgiving movie, "Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow" starring Mary Steenburgen. He was Supervising Producer on the Emmy Award winning ABC series, Muppets Tonight, and co-producer on the ABC series Dinosaurs, on which he designed most of the characters, working closely with one of his mentors, the Muppet's creator Jim Henson. As well as his long form work, Kirk has directed over thirty Muppet commercials and web shorts including, Muppet's Bohemian Rhapsody, which has been viewed over 72 Million times, and all of Neil Patrick Harris' web comedy series, "Neil's Puppet Dreams".

More recently, Kirk was one of the three regular judges on the Syfy channel series, "Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge". In 2018 he created and Executive Produced a series for Netflix entitled, "The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell" with Christine McConnell and the Jim Henson company. Incredibly well received, the series has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes! He also co-wrote and co-directed the hit Muppet Live Shows that played at the Hollywood bowl and in London's O2 stadium.
BornFebruary 14, 1962
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornFebruary 14, 1962
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 1 Primetime Emmy
    • 1 win & 1 nomination total

Photos6

John L. Russell, Eugenie Bondurant, Gael García Bernal, Harriet Sansom Harris, Kirk R. Thatcher, Chuck Zlotnick, Leonardo Nam, Daniel J. Watts, Laura Donnelly, and Jovan in Werewolf by Night (2022)
Kirk R. Thatcher in Werewolf by Night (2022)
Kirk R. Thatcher
Kirk R. Thatcher
Kirk R. Thatcher

Known for

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
7.3
  • Producer(as Kirk Thatcher)
  • 1986
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Warwick Davis, David Prowse, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Carter, and Larry Ward in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
8.3
  • Special Effects(as Kirk Thatcher)
  • 1983
RoboCop 2 (1990)
RoboCop 2
5.8
  • Visual Effects(as Kirk Thatcher, robot monster crew)
  • 1990
Frank Oz, Brian Henson, Bill Barretta, Kevin Clash, Dave Goelz, and Steve Whitmire in Muppets Tonight (1996)
Muppets Tonight
7.7
TV Series
  • Writer

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Director

  • Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Matt Vogel, and Eric Jacobson in Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)
    Muppets Haunted Mansion
    • Director
    • TV Special
    • 2021
  • Muppets Now (2020)
    Muppets Now
    • Director (as Rufus Scot Church)
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • Mary McCormack, Michael Cudlitz, Jack Gore, Sawyer Barth, Sam Straley, Christopher Paul Richards, Andy Walken, Caleb Foote, and Santino Barnard in The Kids Are Alright (2018)
    The Kids Are Alright
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Michael Oosterom, Dita Von Teese, Morgana Ignis, and Christine H. McConnell in The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell (2018)
    The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • The Muppets Take the O2 (2018)
    The Muppets Take the O2
    • Director (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • Video
    • 2018
  • The Muppets Take The Bowl (2017)
    The Muppets Take The Bowl
    • Director
    • Video
    • 2017
  • Julianne Buescher, John Munro Cameron, Alice Dinnean, Donna Kimball, Sonya Leslie, Drew Massey, Misty Rosas, Alon Williams, Dana Michael Woods, Victor Yerrid, Kristin Charney, and Mia Ella Mimica in Sid the Science Kid (2008)
    Sid the Science Kid
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2010–2015
  • The Muppets: Kodachrome
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2015
  • Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow (2015)
    Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow
    • Director
    • TV Movie
    • 2015
  • The Muppets: Jungle Boogie (2015)
    The Muppets: Jungle Boogie
    • Director
    • Video
    • 2015
  • Sky: Step into the Adventure Christmas
    • Director
    • TV Special
    • 2014
  • Disney Drive on with the Muppets (2014)
    Disney Drive on with the Muppets
    • Director (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 2014
  • The Muppets: Moi by Miss Piggy
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2014
  • Hershey's Great Chocolate Factory Mystery in 4D
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2013
  • Sid the Science Kid: The Movie (2013)
    Sid the Science Kid: The Movie
    • Director (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • 2013

Writer

  • Travelin' Time
    • Writer
    • Post-production
    • TV Movie
  • Bill Barretta, Dave Goelz, Matt Vogel, and Eric Jacobson in Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)
    Muppets Haunted Mansion
    • story by
    • teleplay by
    • TV Special
    • 2021
  • Michael Oosterom, Dita Von Teese, Morgana Ignis, and Christine H. McConnell in The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell (2018)
    The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell
    • Writer
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • The Muppets Take the O2 (2018)
    The Muppets Take the O2
    • Writer (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • Video
    • 2018
  • The Muppets Take The Bowl (2017)
    The Muppets Take The Bowl
    • Writer
    • Video
    • 2017
  • Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow (2015)
    Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow
    • story by
    • TV Movie
    • 2015
  • Neil Patrick Harris in Neil's Puppet Dreams (2012)
    Neil's Puppet Dreams
    • written by
    • TV Series
    • 2012–2013
  • Tom Kenny, Phil LaMarr, Sean Marquette, Candi Milo, and Keith Ferguson in Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (2004)
    Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
    • story
    • written by (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • TV Series
    • 2006–2007
  • Frank Oz, Kevin Clash, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Steve Whitmire, The Great Gonzo, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and Fozzie Bear in Muppet Monster Adventure (2000)
    Muppet Monster Adventure
    • based on an original story by
    • Video Game
    • 2000
  • Frank Oz, Brian Henson, Bill Barretta, Kevin Clash, Dave Goelz, and Steve Whitmire in Muppets Tonight (1996)
    Muppets Tonight
    • written by
    • TV Series
    • 1996–1998
  • Tim Curry and Kevin Bishop in Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
    Muppet Treasure Island
    • screenplay
    • 1996
  • Dinosaurs (1991)
    Dinosaurs
    • written by
    • story
    • teleplay (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • TV Series
    • 1991–1994
  • Dog City (1992)
    Dog City
    • written by
    • TV Series
    • 1993

Producer

  • Travelin' Time
    • producer
    • Post-production
    • TV Movie
  • Michael Oosterom, Dita Von Teese, Morgana Ignis, and Christine H. McConnell in The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell (2018)
    The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • Disney Drive on with the Muppets (2014)
    Disney Drive on with the Muppets
    • producer
    • TV Series
    • 2014
  • Studio DC: Almost Live! (2008)
    Studio DC: Almost Live!
    • producer (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • TV Series
    • 2008
  • Frank Oz, Brian Henson, Bill Barretta, Kevin Clash, Dave Goelz, and Steve Whitmire in Muppets Tonight (1996)
    Muppets Tonight
    • supervising producer
    • TV Series
    • 1996–1998
  • Dinosaurs (1991)
    Dinosaurs
    • co-producer (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • TV Series
    • 1991–1994
  • MuppeTelevision (1987)
    MuppeTelevision
    • associate producer (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • TV Series
    • 1989
  • Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
    Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
    • associate producer (as Kirk Thatcher)
    • 1986

Videos3

Official Trailer
Trailer 1:27
Official Trailer
The Muppets: Wizard of Oz
Trailer 1:30
The Muppets: Wizard of Oz
The Adventures of Elmo In Grouchland
Trailer 2:02
The Adventures of Elmo In Grouchland

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Rufus Scot Church
  • Height
    • 6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
  • Born
    • February 14, 1962
    • Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Other works
    Directed Webby Award winning video of Beaker's "Ode to Joy"

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Has directed two Webby award winning videos for the Muppets, two years in a row, "Ode to Joy" and "Muppet Bohemian Rhapsody".
  • Quotes
    I could win the Nobel Peace Prize and my grave would still say "Punk On Bus - Star Trek IV".

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