The 1980's

Ted Kurdyla began his film career as the location manager for the Brian DePalma film Blow Out

Blow Out

Blow Out is a 1981 thriller film, written and directed by Brian De Palma. The film stars John Travolta as Jack Terry, a movie sound effects technician from Philadelphia who, while recording sounds for a low-budget slasher film, serendipitously captures audio evidence of an assassination involving a...

, starring John Travolta

John Travolta

John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...

. The following year, he served as assistant unit production manager on Fighting Back, which starred Tom Skerritt

Tom Skerritt

Thomas Roy "Tom" Skerritt is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962.-Early life:...

.

In 1984, Kurdyla worked as the production liaison for the New York unit of Once Upon a Time in America

Once Upon a Time in America

Once Upon a Time in America is a 1984 Italian epic crime film co-written and directed by Sergio Leone and starring Robert De Niro and James Woods. The story chronicles the lives of Jewish ghetto youths who rise to prominence in New York City's world of organized crime...

, which was directed by Sergio Leone

Sergio Leone

Sergio Leone was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter most associated with the "Spaghetti Western" genre.Leone's film-making style includes juxtaposing extreme close-up shots with lengthy long shots...

 and which starred Robert DeNiro.

In 1985, Kurdyla served as assistant unit production manager on the Michael Cimino

Michael Cimino

Michael Cimino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and author. He is best known for writing and directing Academy Award-winning The Deer Hunter and the infamous Heaven's Gate. His films are characterized by their striking visual style and controversial subject...

 film Year of The Dragon

Year of the Dragon (film)

Year of the Dragon is a 1985 film directed by Michael Cimino, starring Mickey Rourke, Ariane Koizumi and John Lone. The screenplay was written by Cimino and Oliver Stone and adapted from the novel by Robert Daley....

, starring Mickey Rourke

Mickey Rourke

Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....

. The following year, he was production manager on the Robert Downey, Sr. film America. Then, in 1987, he was unit manager on *batteries not included

*batteries not included

*batteries not included is a 1987 family-science fiction film directed by Matthew Robbins about small extraterrestrial living machines that save an apartment block under threat from property development....

, starring Hume Cronyn

Hume Cronyn

Hume Blake Cronyn, OC was a Canadian actor of stage and screen, who enjoyed a long career, often appearing professionally alongside his second wife, Jessica Tandy.-Early life:...

 and Jessica Tandy

Jessica Tandy

Jessie Alice "Jessica" Tandy was an English-American stage and film actress.She first appeared on the London stage in 1926 at the age of 16, playing, among others, Katherine opposite Laurence Olivier's Henry V, and Cordelia opposite John Gielgud's King Lear. She also worked in British films...

.

In 1988, Kurdyla was the production manager on the documentary Imagine: John Lennon

Imagine: John Lennon

Imagine: John Lennon is a soundtrack album of popular music composed by John Lennon for the 1988 documentary film, Imagine: John Lennon...

, assistant unit production manager for Bright Lights, Big City

Bright Lights, Big City

Bright Lights, Big City may refer to: *""Bright Lights, Big City" ", a 1961 song by Jimmy Reed*Bright Lights, Big City , a 1984 novel by Jay McInerney*Bright Lights, Big City , a 1988 film based on McInerney's novel...

 starring Michael J Fox, and unit production manager for the Bud Yorkin

Bud Yorkin

Bud Yorkin is an American film and television producer, director, writer and actor.Yorkin was born Alan David Yorkin in Washington, Pennsylvania. He earned a degree in engineering from Carnegie Tech, now Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsbugh, Pennsylvania...

 comedy Arthur 2: On the Rocks

Arthur 2: On the Rocks

Arthur 2: On the Rocks is the 1988 sequel to the 1981 film Arthur. Lead actors Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli reprised their roles.John Gielgud, who won an Academy Award for his role in the original film, reappears briefly in a drunken hallucination on Arthur's part.The film co-stars Kathy Bates as...

, which starred Dudley Moore

Dudley Moore

Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...

 and Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli

Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....

.

Kurdyla was the associate producer of the Walter Hill crime drama Johnny Handsome

Johnny Handsome

Johnny Handsome is an 1989 American crime-drama film directed by Walter Hill and starring Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin and Morgan Freeman. The film was written by Ken Friedman, from the novel by John Godey. The music for the film was written, produced and performed by Ry Cooder, and Jim Keltner...

 in 1989, starring Mickey Rourke, and ended the decade with the Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase

Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...

 comedy Fletch Lives

Fletch Lives

Fletch Lives is a 1989 comedy film starring Chevy Chase. It was directed by Michael Ritchie with a screenplay by Leon Capetanos based on the character created by Gregory Mcdonald. Fletch Lives was released by Universal Pictures. It is a sequel to the 1985 film Fletch.- Plot :Chevy Chase once again...

, on which he served as production manager.

The 1990's

In 1990, Kurdyla was the production manager for the Robin Williams

Robin Williams

Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...

/Tim Robbins

Tim Robbins

Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...

 comedy Cadillac Man

Cadillac Man

Cadillac Man is a 1990 comedy film starring Robin Williams and Tim Robbins.-Plot:Brooklyn car salesman Joey O'Brien must deal with the ever-increasing pressures in his life: he has an ex-wife demanding alimony, a daughter who's missing, a married mistress and a single mistress who are both...

. Then in 1992, was the unit production manager for Final Analysis

Final Analysis

Final Analysis is an American neo-noir drama directed by Phil Joanou and written by Wesley Strick. It stars Richard Gere, Kim Basinger and Uma Thurman...

, which starred Richard Gere

Richard Gere

Richard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...

 and Kim Bassinger.

In 1993, Kurdyla began producing television programs, serving that year as producer for Trouble Shooters: Trapped Beneath the Earth, starring Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson

Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...

, then as co-producer for The Cosby Mysteries

The Cosby Mysteries

The Cosby Mysteries is a American television mystery series that starred Bill Cosby. It was the first television series to star Cosby since The Cosby Show and lasted only one season...

 in 1994.

Also in 1994, as Kurdyla produced the television sequel to Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...

's The Birds

The Birds (film)

The Birds is a 1963 horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock based on the 1952 short story "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier. It depicts Bodega Bay, California which is, suddenly and for unexplained reasons, the subject of a series of widespread and violent bird attacks over the course of a few...

titled The Birds II: Land's End

The Birds II: Land's End

The Birds II: Land's End is the 1994 television movie sequel to Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 classic The Birds. It stars Brad Johnson, Chelsea Field, James Naughton, and Tippi Hedren, in a role different from the one she played in the original Hitchcock film. The original music score was composed by Ron...

, featuring the star of the original film Tippi Hedren

Tippi Hedren

Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren is an American actress and former fashion model with a career spanning six decades. She is primarily known for her roles in two Alfred Hitchcock films, The Birds and Marnie, and her extensive efforts in animal rescue at Shambala Preserve, an wildlife habitat which she...

. Then in 1996, he produced another television thriller: Twilight Man, which starred Tim Matheson

Tim Matheson

Tim Matheson is an American actor, director and producer. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the smooth-talking Eric 'Otter' Stratton in the 1978 comedy National Lampoon's Animal House and has had a variety of other well-known roles, including providing the voice of the lead character...

.

Toward the close of the decade, Kurdyla returned to theatrical cinema and served as executive producer for Fallen

Fallen (film)

Fallen is a 1998 supernatural thriller film, directed by Gregory Hoblit, and starring Denzel Washington, John Goodman and Donald Sutherland.-Plot:...

, starring Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington

Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...

 (1998), and, in 1999, was co-executive producer of The Confession

The Confession (1999 film)

The Confession is a 1999 drama film directed by David Jones, starring Ben Kingsley and Alec Baldwin. It is based on the novel by Sol Yurick.-Plot:...

starring Ben Kingsley

Ben Kingsley

Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...

 and Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin

Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...

.

2000 to present

The new decade saw Kurdyla continuing his role as executive producer of both film and television, beginning with the war drama Tigerland

Tigerland

Tigerland is a 2000 war drama film directed by Joel Schumacher starring Colin Farrell in the role of Private Roland Bozz, and takes place in a training camp for soldiers to be sent to the Vietnam War....

, directed by Joel Schumacher

Joel Schumacher

Joel T. Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee, who died when Joel was four years old...

, and then the Bette Midler

Bette Midler

Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...

/Nathan Lane

Nathan Lane

Nathan Lane is an American actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his roles as Mendy in The Lisbon Traviata, Albert in The Birdcage, Max Bialystock in the musical The Producers, Ernie Smuntz in MouseHunt, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to...

 comedy Isn't She Great

Isn't She Great

Isn't She Great is a 2000 American biographical film.A highly fictionalized account of the life and career of best-selling author Jacqueline Susann, the Universal Pictures release focuses on her early struggles as an aspiring actress relentlessly hungry for fame, her relationship with press agent...

, both in 2000.

In 2002, Kurdyla collaborated again with Joel Schumacher, serving as executive producer for Schumacher’s Phone Booth

Phone Booth (film)

Phone Booth is a 2002 American suspense-thriller film about a man who is held hostage in a telephone booth by a sniper. It stars Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, and Radha Mitchell. The film was directed by Joel Schumacher, with music composed by Harry Gregson-Williams...

, starring with Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell

Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....

.

From 2003–2005, Kurdyla produced two television mini-series for the USA Network: Helen of Troy

Helen of Troy (TV miniseries)

Helen of Troy is a 2003 television miniseries based upon Homer's story of the Trojan War, as recounted in the epic poem, Iliad. This TV miniseries also shares the name with a 1956 movie starring Stanley Baker...

(2003) and Spartacus (2004). In 2005, Kurdyla produced and directed World S.U.M.O. Challenge: Battle of the Giants for the ESPN network.

In 2010, Kurdyla entered the world of theater, teaming up with writer/director Charles Messina

Charles Messina

Charles Messina is an American playwright, screenwriter and director.Messina was born in Greenwich Village, of Italian-American descent...

 and serving as executive producer for the staged reading of the Vincent Gogliormella/Messina comedy 'Twas the Night Before a Brooklyn Christmas, which starred Mario Cantone

Mario Cantone

Mario Cantone is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, with numerous appearances on Comedy Central including Chappelle's Show. He also played Anthony Marentino on Sex and the City...

 and which was also directed by Messina.

Later that year, Kurdyla executive produced a staged reading of the Messina penned and directed comedy A Room of My Own, starring Ralph Macchio

Ralph Macchio

Ralph George Macchio is an American actor, best known for his roles as Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid series, Bill Gambini in My Cousin Vinny, and Johnny Cade in The Outsiders. He is also known to American television audiences for his season five recurring role as Jeremy Andretti on the...

, Cantone, and Gina Ferranti.

In 2012, a play about the life of singer Dion DiMucci

Dion DiMucci

Dion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....

, in collaboration with the singer himself, is scheduled to debut in New York City, with Kurdyla serving as executive producer and with Messina signed on as writer and director.

List of credits

Year	Title	Type	Role	Studio
1981	Blow Out Blow Out Blow Out is a 1981 thriller film, written and directed by Brian De Palma. The film stars John Travolta as Jack Terry, a movie sound effects technician from Philadelphia who, while recording sounds for a low-budget slasher film, serendipitously captures audio evidence of an assassination involving a...	Film	Location Manager	Filmways
1982	Fighting Back	Film	Assistant Unit Production Manager	Paramount
1984	Once Upon A Time In America Once Upon a Time in America Once Upon a Time in America is a 1984 Italian epic crime film co-written and directed by Sergio Leone and starring Robert De Niro and James Woods. The story chronicles the lives of Jewish ghetto youths who rise to prominence in New York City's world of organized crime...	Film	Production Liaison: New York	Warner Brothers
1985	Year of the Dragon Year of the Dragon Year of the Dragon can refer to:* Dragon , Chinese Year of the Dragon zodiac sign* Year of the Dragon, 2000 album by Modern Talking* Year of the Dragon , 1981 novel written by Robert Daley...	Film	Assistant Unit Production Manager: North America	MGM/United Artists
1986	America	Film	Production Manager	ASA Communications, Sony
1987	*batteries not included *batteries not included *batteries not included is a 1987 family-science fiction film directed by Matthew Robbins about small extraterrestrial living machines that save an apartment block under threat from property development....	Film	Unit Manager	Amblin, Universal
1988	Imagine: John Lennon Imagine: John Lennon Imagine: John Lennon is a soundtrack album of popular music composed by John Lennon for the 1988 documentary film, Imagine: John Lennon...	Film	Production Manager	Warner Brothers
1988	Bright Lights, Big City Bright Lights, Big City Bright Lights, Big City may refer to: *""Bright Lights, Big City" ", a 1961 song by Jimmy Reed*Bright Lights, Big City , a 1984 novel by Jay McInerney*Bright Lights, Big City , a 1988 film based on McInerney's novel...	Film	Assistant Unit Production Manager	United Artists
1988	Arthur 2: On the Rocks Arthur 2: On the Rocks Arthur 2: On the Rocks is the 1988 sequel to the 1981 film Arthur. Lead actors Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli reprised their roles.John Gielgud, who won an Academy Award for his role in the original film, reappears briefly in a drunken hallucination on Arthur's part.The film co-stars Kathy Bates as...	Film	Unit Production Manager: New York	Warner Brothers
1989	Johnny Handsome Johnny Handsome Johnny Handsome is an 1989 American crime-drama film directed by Walter Hill and starring Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin and Morgan Freeman. The film was written by Ken Friedman, from the novel by John Godey. The music for the film was written, produced and performed by Ry Cooder, and Jim Keltner...	Film	Associate Producer	Carolco, Tri-Star
1989	Fletch Lives Fletch Lives Fletch Lives is a 1989 comedy film starring Chevy Chase. It was directed by Michael Ritchie with a screenplay by Leon Capetanos based on the character created by Gregory Mcdonald. Fletch Lives was released by Universal Pictures. It is a sequel to the 1985 film Fletch.- Plot :Chevy Chase once again...	Film	Production Manager	Universal
1990	Cadillac Man Cadillac Man Cadillac Man is a 1990 comedy film starring Robin Williams and Tim Robbins.-Plot:Brooklyn car salesman Joey O'Brien must deal with the ever-increasing pressures in his life: he has an ex-wife demanding alimony, a daughter who's missing, a married mistress and a single mistress who are both...	Film	Associate Producer	Orion Pictures
1992	Final Analysis Final Analysis Final Analysis is an American neo-noir drama directed by Phil Joanou and written by Wesley Strick. It stars Richard Gere, Kim Basinger and Uma Thurman...	Film	Unit Production Manager	Warner Brothers
1993	Trouble Shooters: Trapped Beneath the Earth	Television	Producer	NBC
1994	The Cosby Mysteries The Cosby Mysteries The Cosby Mysteries is a American television mystery series that starred Bill Cosby. It was the first television series to star Cosby since The Cosby Show and lasted only one season...	Television	Co-Producer	NBC
1994	The Birds II: Land's End The Birds II: Land's End The Birds II: Land's End is the 1994 television movie sequel to Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 classic The Birds. It stars Brad Johnson, Chelsea Field, James Naughton, and Tippi Hedren, in a role different from the one she played in the original Hitchcock film. The original music score was composed by Ron...	Television	Producer	Showtime
1996	Twilight Man	Television	Producer, Unit Production Manager	MCA/Universal
1998	Fallen Fallen (film) Fallen is a 1998 supernatural thriller film, directed by Gregory Hoblit, and starring Denzel Washington, John Goodman and Donald Sutherland.-Plot:...	Film	Executive Producer	Warner Brothers
1999	The Confession The Confession (1999 film) The Confession is a 1999 drama film directed by David Jones, starring Ben Kingsley and Alec Baldwin. It is based on the novel by Sol Yurick.-Plot:...	Film	Co-Executive Producer, Unit Production Manager	Conprod Inc., New City Releasing
2000	Tigerland Tigerland Tigerland is a 2000 war drama film directed by Joel Schumacher starring Colin Farrell in the role of Private Roland Bozz, and takes place in a training camp for soldiers to be sent to the Vietnam War....	Film	Executive Producer	20th Century Fox
2000	Isn't She Great Isn't She Great Isn't She Great is a 2000 American biographical film.A highly fictionalized account of the life and career of best-selling author Jacqueline Susann, the Universal Pictures release focuses on her early struggles as an aspiring actress relentlessly hungry for fame, her relationship with press agent...	Film	Executive Producer, Unit Production Manager, Second Unit Director	MCA/Universal
2002	Phone Booth Phone Booth (film) Phone Booth is a 2002 American suspense-thriller film about a man who is held hostage in a telephone booth by a sniper. It stars Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, and Radha Mitchell. The film was directed by Joel Schumacher, with music composed by Harry Gregson-Williams...	Film	Executive Producer, Unit Production Manager	20th Century Fox
2003	Helen of Troy Helen of Troy (TV miniseries) Helen of Troy is a 2003 television miniseries based upon Homer's story of the Trojan War, as recounted in the epic poem, Iliad. This TV miniseries also shares the name with a 1956 movie starring Stanley Baker...	Television	Producer	Universal/USA Cable Entertainment
2004	Spartacus	Television	Producer, Unit Production Manager	Universal/USA Cable Entertainment
2005	World S.U.M.O. Challenge: Battle of the Giants	Television	Producer, Director	ESPN
2010	'Twas the Night Before a Brooklyn Christmas	Theatrical play (staged reading)	Executive Producer	n/a
2010	A Room of My Own	Theatrical play, film (staged reading)	Executive Producer	n/a
2012	Untitled Dion DiMucci Project	Theatrical play, film	Executive Producer	n/a

External links

• Ted Kurdyla on Internet Movie Database
  Internet Movie Database
  Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
  
  (IMDb)