Robert Tapert

Last updated
Robert Tapert
Rob Tapert.JPG
Rob Tapert speaking at SPADA 2010
Born (1955-05-14) May 14, 1955 (age 67)
Alma mater Michigan State University
Occupation(s)Film and television producer, screenwriter, television director
Spouse
(m. 1998)
Children2

Robert Gerard Tapert (born May 14, 1955) is an American film and television producer, writer and director, best known for co-creating the television series Xena: Warrior Princess .

Contents

He is also one of the founding partners of the film production companies Renaissance Pictures and Ghost House Pictures.

Personal life

Tapert has two sisters, Dorothy and Mary Beth Tapert. He also has a younger brother, Jeff Tapert. He has been married to actress Lucy Lawless since 28 March 1998; the couple has two sons. Lawless played the title character in Xena: Warrior Princess.

Film


Tapert first became involved with filmmaking while attending Michigan State University where he was studying economics. Through his friend and roommate Ivan Raimi, Tapert would meet future longstanding filmmaking partners Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell.

Tapert and director Sam Raimi experimented on several short films before endeavoring on their first feature-length picture, a graphic horror film titled The Evil Dead , which Tapert produced, Raimi directed, and Bruce Campbell starred. It was a success with the crowd at the Cannes Film Festival in France, and a glowing review from horror author Stephen King saw the film given a cinematic release in the USA, and later internationally. [1]

Although not a favorite of critics at the time, it gained a cult following and was later critically acclaimed as a horror classic. The film spawned a franchise of five films and a television series, of which Tapert has been involved as a producer in all of them.

Tapert continued on to produce numerous other films, typically involving Raimi and/or Campbell in some capacity, such as Crimewave , Easy Wheels , Darkman , Hard Target , Timecop , The Quick and the Dead , A Simple Plan , and The Gift .

Tapert co-founded film production company Ghost House Pictures in 2002. Their first release, The Grudge , grossed nearly $200 million internationally. [2] They followed up that success with Boogeyman , Rise , The Messengers , 30 Days of Night , Drag Me to Hell which Raimi directed, The Possession , [3] and a remake of Tobe Hooper's seminal film Poltergeist . [4]

In 2013, Tapert and Raimi tapped Uruguayan director Fede Álvarez, after seeing his short, Ataque de pánico! , to reimagine The Evil Dead. [5] Diablo Cody contributed a polish to help Americanize the script. [6]

Tapert would re-collaborate with Álvarez and writer Rodo Sayagues in 2016 on the breakout film Don't Breathe that grossed $157 million worldwide. [7] He returned as producer in its 2021 sequel.

Television

In the 1990s, Tapert produced and/or wrote several television series, including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys , M.A.N.T.I.S. , Spy Game , and American Gothic . Tapert also co-created the prequel series Young Hercules that starred Ryan Gosling.

During Hercules, Tapert created the character of Xena which he later spun off into a separate series, Xena: Warrior Princess . The franchise has been referred to as ground-breaking and the character as a feminist and lesbian icon. [8] [9] [10] Xena: Warrior Princess has been credited by many, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, with blazing the trail for a new generation of female action heroes such as Buffy, Max of Dark Angel, Sydney Bristow of Alias, and the Bride in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. [11] After serving as Lucy Lawless's stunt double on Xena, stunt woman Zoë E. Bell was recruited to be Uma Thurman's stunt double in Tarantino's Kill Bill. By helping to pave the way for female action heroes in television and film, Xena also strengthened the stunt woman profession. [12]

In 2008, Tapert produced Legend of the Seeker , the television adaptation of the popular Sword of Truth books by Terry Goodkind for ABC Studios.

Tapert followed with the Roman epic Spartacus for Starz in 2010, [13] including Spartacus: Blood and Sand , Spartacus: Gods of the Arena , Spartacus: Vengeance , and Spartacus: War of the Damned .

Tapert's most recent television project is Ash vs Evil Dead based on the Evil Dead film franchise that premiered on Starz in 2015. [14]

Filmography

Film

Producer

Executive producer

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977The Happy Valley KidN/AShort film
It's Murder!
1980The Blind WaiterThe Deaf ManagerShort film
1981 The Evil Dead Local Yokel (uncredited)
Torro. Torro. Torro!N/AShort film
1982 Cleveland Smith: Bounty Hunter
1984 Going Back Man with Glasses in Bar (uncredited)
1985The Sappy SapN/AShort film
1986 Crimewave Bar patron in Rialto (uncredited)
1987 Evil Dead II Airport Worker (uncredited)

Other roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977 It's Murder! Sound utilityUncredited
1978 Within the Woods PresenterShort film

Direct-to-video

Producer

Executive producer

Television

Year(s)TitleDirectorWriterExecutive
Producer
Notes
1992DarkmanNoNoYesTV movie
1994–1995 M.A.N.T.I.S. NoNoYes23 episodes
1994–1999 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys YesYesYesWrote and directed episode "Once a Hero"
1995–1998 American Gothic NoNoYes22 episodes
1995–2001 Xena: Warrior Princess YesYesYesWrote 15 episodes
Directed 4 episodes
1997 Spy Game NoNoYes13 episodes
1997Amazon HighNoStoryNoTV movie
1998–1999 Young Hercules NoYesYesWrote 3 episodes
2000 Jack of All Trades NoNoYes22 episodes
2000–2001 Cleopatra 2525 NoYesYesWrote episode "Quest for Firepower"
2005 Alien Apocalypse NoUncreditedNoTV movie
2008–2010 Legend of the Seeker NoNoYes44 episodes
2009 13: Fear Is Real NoNoYes8 episodes
2010Zombie RoadkillNoNoYes6 episodes
2010–2013 Spartacus NoNoYes39 episodes
2015–2018 Ash vs Evil Dead NoNoYes30 episodes

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Crowd Member (uncredited)Episode "Gladiator"
1997 Xena: Warrior Princess HimselfEpisode "The Xena Scrolls"

Video game

YearTitleRole
2005 Evil Dead: Regeneration Supervising producer

Musical

Tapert produced the stage musical Pleasuredome as a love story to 1980's New York City incorporating songs from the era. The play, which was based on Tapert's personal experiences, [15] successfully premiered in 2017 to critical acclaim and sold-out crowds in Tapert's home of Auckland, New Zealand and stars Lucy Lawless. [16]

57,000 tickets were sold during its first 13-week run. [17]

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<i>Army of Darkness</i> 1992 film by Sam Raimi

Army of Darkness is a 1992 American dark fantasy horror comedy film directed, co-written, and co-edited by Sam Raimi. The film is the third installment in the Evil Dead film series and the sequel to Evil Dead II (1987). Starring Bruce Campbell and Embeth Davidtz, it follows Ash Williams (Campbell) as he is trapped in the Middle Ages and battles the undead in his quest to return to the present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Campbell</span> American actor

Bruce Lorne Campbell is an American actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his role as Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead horror franchise, beginning with the short film Within the Woods (1978). He has also starred in many low-budget cult films such as Crimewave (1985), Maniac Cop (1988), Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989), and Bubba Ho-Tep (2002).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi</span> American filmmaker (born 1959)

Samuel M. Raimi is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007) and the Evil Dead franchise (1981–present). He also directed the 1990 superhero film Darkman, the 1995 revisionist western The Quick and the Dead, the 1998 neo-noir crime-thriller A Simple Plan, the 2000 supernatural thriller film The Gift, the 2009 supernatural horror film Drag Me to Hell, and the 2013 Disney fantasy film Oz the Great and Powerful. His films are known for their highly dynamic visual style, inspired by comic books and slapstick comedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Raimi</span> American actor

Theodore Raimi is an American character actor, director, comedian, and writer. He is known for his roles in the works of his brother Sam Raimi, including a fake Shemp in The Evil Dead, possessed Henrietta in Evil Dead II, and Ted Hoffman in the Spider-Man trilogy. He later reprised his role as Henrietta in the television series Ash vs. Evil Dead, in which he also played the character Chet Kaminski. He is also known for his roles as Lieutenant JG Tim O'Neill in seaQuest DSV and Joxer the Mighty in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xena</span> Fictional character from the TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess"

Xena is a fictional character from Robert Tapert's Xena: Warrior Princess franchise, portrayed by New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless and co-created by Tapert and John Schulian. She first appeared as a villain in the 1995–1999 television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys before joining forces with Hercules. Xena was popular with fans, so the producers decided to create a spin-off with the character in the starring role. She later appeared in the subsequent comic book of the same name, as well as the spin-off animated film The Battle for Mount Olympus, and non-canon expanded universe material, such as books and video games.

<i>Xena: Warrior Princess</i> American–New Zealand fantasy series (1995–2001)

Xena: Warrior Princess is an American fantasy television series filmed on location in New Zealand. The series aired in first-run syndication from September 4, 1995, to June 18, 2001. Critics have praised the series for its strong female protagonist, and it has acquired a strong cult following, attention in fandom, parody, and academia, and has influenced the direction of other television series.

<i>Hercules: The Legendary Journeys</i> 1995 television series

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is an American television series filmed in New Zealand, based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles. Starring Kevin Sorbo as Hercules and Michael Hurst as Iolaus, it was produced from January 16, 1995, to November 22, 1999. It ran for six seasons, producing action figures and other memorabilia as it became one of the highest-rated syndicated television shows in the world at that time. It has aired on Once Channel, Sky1, five/5, Heroes & Icons, and Horror.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Lawless</span> New Zealand actress and singer (born 1968)

Lucille Frances Lawless is a New Zealand actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Xena in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess, as D'Anna Biers on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series, and Lucretia in the television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and associated series. Since 2019, she has starred as Alexa in the television series My Life Is Murder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renee O'Connor</span> American actress, producer, and director

Evelyn Renee O'Connor is an American actress, producer, and director, known for the role of Gabrielle on the television series Xena: Warrior Princess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Parker</span> New Zealand actor

Craig Parker is a New Zealand actor, known for his roles as Guy Warner in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, Haldir in the Lord of the Rings films The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Two Towers (2002), Darken Rahl in the syndicated television series Legend of the Seeker (2008–10), Gaius Claudius Glaber in the starz series Spartacus (2010–12), and Stéphane Narcisse in the CW television series Reign (2014–17).

Stephen Lovatt is a New Zealand actor, best known internationally for his portrayal of character Max Hoyland on the Australian soap Neighbours.

Joseph LoDuca is an American television and film score composer best known for his work writing television scores for the series Spartacus, Leverage, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess, Young Hercules, The Librarians TV series, American Gothic and Jack of All Trades. Originally an accomplished jazz guitarist in the Detroit area, LoDuca frequently provides music for producer/director Robert Tapert, producer/director Sam Raimi, producer/director Dean Devlin and actor Bruce Campbell's films and series. Prior to his work on The Evil Dead, his first film, he released a jazz LP titled Glisten.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bitter Suite</span> 12th episode of the 3rd season of Xena Warrior Princess

"The Bitter Suite" is the twelfth episode of the third season of the American-New Zealand fantasy adventure series Xena: Warrior Princess, which premiered on February 2, 1998. The episode, a musical, was written by Chris Manheim and Steven L. Sears and directed by Oley Sassone.

<i>Evil Dead</i> American horror film franchise created by Sam Raimi

Evil Dead is an American horror film franchise created by Sam Raimi consisting of five feature films and a television series. The series revolves around the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, an ancient Sumerian text that wreaks havoc upon a group of cabin inhabitants in a wooded area in Tennessee.

<i>Xena: Warrior Princess</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of the television series Xena: Warrior Princess commenced airing in the United States and Canada on September 4, 1995, concluded on July 29, 1996, and contained 24 episodes. It introduces Gabrielle, the series co-star, beside Xena, previously a secondary character in the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Gabrielle becomes Xena's greatest ally; her initial naiveté helps to balance Xena and assists her in recognizing and pursuing the "greater good."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Knight (filmmaker)</span> New Zealand filmmaker

Charles Knight is a New Zealand filmmaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T. J. Scott</span> Director, stunt performer and actor

TJ Scott is a Canadian film and television director, screenwriter, producer, and former stuntman and actor. He is primarily known for his work directing television series such as Orphan Black, Xena: Warrior Princess, Gotham, Star Trek: Discovery, Longmire, 12 Monkeys, The Strain, and Spartacus.

Barry Duffield is an Australian actor, producer, scriptwriter and director from Billingham, England. He is mostly known for his portrayal of Lugo in the Starz television series Spartacus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Sam Raimi projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American film director and producer Sam Raimi has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects, are officially cancelled and scrapped or fell in development hell.

References

  1. "Box Office".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. "The Grudge (2004) - Box Office Mojo". www.boxofficemojo.com.
  3. "Lionsgate to Open Up Ghost House's Dibbuk Box". DreadCentral.
  4. McNary, Dave (20 June 2013). "MGM Partners With Fox On 'Poltergeist' Reboot".
  5. "Sam Raimi Helps Filmmaker Fede Alvarez Usher in an Alien Invasion". DreadCentral.
  6. "'Evil Dead' remake: Diablo Cody polishing script for first-time director". 13 July 2011.
  7. "Don't Breathe (2016) - Box Office Mojo". www.boxofficemojo.com.
  8. "Page not found – The Online Scholar". doi:10.1111/j.0022-3840.1998.00079.x.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Cite uses generic title (help)
  9. "Xena: Warrior Princess, The Lesbian Gaze, And The Construction Of A Feminist Heroine". www.whoosh.org.
  10. Janet K. Boles; Diane Long Hoeveler (2004). Historical Dictionary of Feminism. Scarecrow Press. ISBN   978-0-8108-4946-4.
  11. "Cathy Young: Salon - What We Owe Xena". www.cathyyoung.net.
  12. See the documentary Double Dare (Amanda Micheli, director. 2005) for more information on the role of Xena in fostering the female superhero character and the stunt woman, both of which are traditionally male categories.
  13. STARZ DECLARES - "WE ARE SPARTACUS! http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20081027starz01/
  14. "Starz Orders 'Evil Dead' TV Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
  15. "The pleasure, pain and 40-year wait behind this Kiwi musical spectacular". Stuff.
  16. "The Ultimate 80's Musical Experience - Pleasuredome The Musical". www.pleasuredomethemusical.com.
  17. "Pleasuredome The Musical". www.facebook.com.