‘YOU LUCKY DOG’
PRODUCTION BIOS
LEWIS B. CHESLER (Executive Producer) – With an impressive resume that spans more than 25 years, Lewis B. Chesler is a veteran producer of both feature films and television movies. A native of Cleveland, OH, Chesler studied Cultural History at Amherst College. Upon graduation, he joined the Peace Corps, spending two years working in Venezuela.
Chesler began his career in television with the “The Hitchhiker,” HBO’s first dramatic series. He conceived both the show and its main creative elements that included style, look and direction. “The Hitchhiker” helped HBO establish the standards of excellence for such programming. The half-hour series became the highest-ranking show on pay television, and went on to win eight Cable Ace Awards for the network. Always a visionary, Chesler was one of the founders of First Choice Canadian Communications (now The Movie Network) in the 1980s.
His early films include “Moving Target” starring Jason Bateman, “Hostile Intent” starring Rob Lowe, “Ms. Bear,” “Valentine’s Day,” “Riddler’s Moon” featuring Corbin Bernsen and “Bone Daddy” starring Rutger Hauer. In 2001, Chesler produced the sexy TV movie thriller, “Zebra Lounge” starring Kristy Swanson and Stephen Baldwin. His other producing credits include “Cybermutt” with Judd Nelson, “Time of the Wolf” starring Burt Reynolds and Jason Priestley, “Touching Wild Horses” starring Jane Seymour and “Between Truth and Lies” starring Mariel Hemingway. In 2003, Chesler produced the motion picture “Tempo” featuring Melanie Griffith, Rachel Leigh Cook and Malcolm McDowell. In 2007, Chesler produced three television movies - - “They Come Back,” “Lies and Crimes” and “Wide Awake.”
For 20 years, Chesler has worked in partnership with producer David M. Perlmutter. In 1989, the two formed Chesler/Perlmutter Productions.
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DAVID M. PERLMUTTER (Executive Producer) – David M. Perlmutter graduated from the University of Toronto with the Bachelor of Commerce degree, and from Queen's University as a chartered accountant. He has been involved in the entertainment field since 1971, when, recognizing the Canadian government’s efforts to encourage film production, he established Quadrant Films. By 1988, he had produced or packaged more than $200 million worth of film and television production. Perlmutter’s films during this period ranged from the undersea adventure “The Neptune Factor” to the first feature films to star Second City alumni John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. During this time, he was also one of the founders of First Choice Canadian Communications, Canada’s first pay-TV network.
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In 1988, Perlmutter co-founded Cinexus Capital Corporation, which acquired Panavision Canada, the largest film equipment supplier in Canada. As part of Cinexus, he also became involved in theatrical distribution through a joint venture with Famous Players, the Canadian theatrical subsidiary of Paramount. Perlmutter's relationship with Lewis Chesler began by arranging financing for Chesler’s productions during the 1980s. In 1989, they formed Chesler/Perlmutter Productions, together creating an enormous range of innovative financing structures combining the benefits available to Canadian producers with international benefits, pre-sales and banking sources.
Perlmutter has been extremely active in many other Canadian entertainment industry activities. He was instrumental in the creation of the Canadian Film and Television Producers Association and has participated in the negotiation of co-production agreements between Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. He has lectured widely on the film industry, and has served as a director of numerous community organizations, including the Toronto Symphony, the Toronto Chamber Orchestra and the Weizmann Institute of Science, served as President of the Jewish Community Centre of Toronto, and as a director of the Jewish Community Centre Association in New York.
Perlmutter lives in Toronto with his television producer wife, Renee. They have two sons, Mark and Dean.
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JOHN BRADSHAW (Director) – Canadian-born director John Bradshaw has been making independent films and TV movies for nearly 30 years. During his career, Bradshaw directed some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. His credits include “Martha, Inc: The Story of Martha Stewart” starring Cybill Shepherd, “Between Truth and Lies” starring Mariel Hemingway, “Triggermen” with Donnie Wahlberg, “Killing Moon” with Daniel Baldwin, “Lethal Tender” starring Jeff Fahey, “Specimen” with Mark Paul Gossalaar and “The Big Slice” starring Heather Locklear. In 2001, Bradshaw directed “Full Disclosure,” featuring an all-star cast that included Academy Award ® nominee Virginia Madsen, Penolope Ann Miller, Christopher Plummer and Fred Ward.
Bradshaw’s most recent directing credits include the television films “Obituary,” “They Come Back,” “Darwin’s Darkest Hour” and “Every Second Counts.”
In addition to directing, Bradshaw has worked as a writer and producer. “The Moderns,” which he wrote with Alan Rudolph, was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 1989. The film told the story of a struggling American artist living in Paris in the 1920s. “The Moderns” starred Keith Carradine, Linda Fiorentino and the legendary actress, Geraldine Chaplin. In addtion, Bradshaw just finished co-producing the film, “The Rendezvous.”
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KEVIN COMMINS (Writer) – Kevin Commins served as the co-producer and writer on the 10-part History Channel documentary, “UFO Hunters,” which has been renewed for a second season. Commins was the writer on the 2002 Animal Planet TV movie, “Cybermutt,” starring Judd Nelson, and the 2006 TV movie “Cheaters’ Club,” starring Charisma Carpenter. In 2008, he co-wrote the Hallmark Channel Original Movie “Every Second Counts.” In addition, he has served as script editor for several movies for Lifetime, HBO and Sci Fi. Commins holds a BA in Theater from Middlebury College (VT).
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