Todd Phillips
Encyclopedia
Todd Phillips is an American screenwriter and film director. He is best known for directing the comedy films Road Trip, Old School
, The Hangover
, and Due Date
.
, about the life and death of punk rocker GG Allin
. Around this time, he worked at Kim's Video and Music
. He also appeared as one of the drivers in the first seasons of Taxicab Confessions
on HBO. In a NY Times profile, Phillips claims to have gotten in trouble for shoplifting as a young man.
, about the life and death of punk rocker GG Allin
. Phillips made the film while a junior at NYU and it went on to become one of the biggest grossing student films at the time, even getting a limited theatrical release. Phillips followed up Junkies with Frat House
, a documentary about college fraternities that he produced and directed with then-partner, Andrew Gurland. Frat House premiered at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival
and would win the Grand Jury Prize for documentary features. It was produced by HBO, but never aired on its channel because many of the film's participants claimed they were paid to re-enact their activities. It was never proven either way.
Phillips' documentary film, Bittersweet Motel
centered on the jam band
Phish
. It covered the band's summer and fall 1997 tours, plus footage from their 1998 spring tour of Europe. The documentary ends at The Great Went, a giant two-day festival held in upstate Maine which attracted 70,000 people. While at Sundance with Frat House
, Phillips met director-producer Ivan Reitman
, which led to Phillips writing and directing his comedy films, Road Trip and Old School
, for Reitmans' Montecito Picture Company.
Phillips also wrote and directed the 2004 film Starsky & Hutch
starring Ben Stiller
and Owen Wilson
, as well as the 2006 film School for Scoundrels
, starring Billy Bob Thornton
and Jon Heder
. In 2005 Details Magazine cited Judd Apatow
, Adam McKay
and Phillips as "The Frat Pack". He worked on Borat
(2006); however, he resigned his position as director of the movie in early 2005, due to creative differences. Nevertheless, he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his role in fashioning the story.
In 2009, Phillips directed and produced The Hangover
which was made for a reported $35 million dollars. The film went on to become the highest grossing R-Rated comedy of all time. Its worldwide gross currently stands at $480 million dollars. The film went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy). It also won Best Comedy at the 2009 Broadcast Film Critics Awards. Phillips took almost no up-front salary in exchange for a large share of the film's profits, and has said that the movie's enormous success combined with his deal, makes it "my Star Wars
". After a worldwide gross of $467 million, his share in the film made Phillips around $50 million.
In the credits of every film he has directed, the picture is addressed as "A Todd Phillips Movie", despite the fact that usually these directorial credits are referred to as "A (director) Film". Movie is in fact a slang word, referring to it being a motion picture.
roles:
Old School (film)
Old School is a 2003 American comedy film released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips, director of the documentary Frat House. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong...
, The Hangover
The Hangover (film)
The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha and Jeffrey Tambor...
, and Due Date
Due Date
Due Date is a 2010 American comedy road film directed by Todd Phillips, co-written by Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland, and Adam Sztykiel, and starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The film was released on November 5, 2010...
.
Early life
Phillips was born in Dix Hills, Long Island, New York, and attended New York University Film School, but dropped out in order to focus on completing his first film, the feature-length documentary Hated: GG Allin and the Murder JunkiesHated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies
Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies is a 1994 documentary directed by Todd Phillips about the life of GG Allin, a punk rock musician who died from a heroin overdose in 1993...
, about the life and death of punk rocker GG Allin
GG Allin
Kevin Michael "GG" Allin was an American punk rock singer-songwriter, who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. GG Allin is perhaps best remembered for his notorious live performances, which often featured transgressive acts, including coprophagia, self-mutilation, and...
. Around this time, he worked at Kim's Video and Music
Kim's Video and Music
Kim's Video and Music is a video and music retail store in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City, described as the "go-to place for rare selections" and "widely known among the cognoscenti of new, experimental and esoteric music and film"...
. He also appeared as one of the drivers in the first seasons of Taxicab Confessions
Taxicab Confessions
Taxicab Confessions is a television series of hidden camera documentaries that have aired on HBO since January 1995. In segments taped in New York City and Las Vegas, the taxi drivers are also producers who steer both the vehicle and the conversations with passengers.When passengers enter the cab,...
on HBO. In a NY Times profile, Phillips claims to have gotten in trouble for shoplifting as a young man.
Director
His first film was the feature-length documentary Hated: GG Allin and the Murder JunkiesHated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies
Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies is a 1994 documentary directed by Todd Phillips about the life of GG Allin, a punk rock musician who died from a heroin overdose in 1993...
, about the life and death of punk rocker GG Allin
GG Allin
Kevin Michael "GG" Allin was an American punk rock singer-songwriter, who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. GG Allin is perhaps best remembered for his notorious live performances, which often featured transgressive acts, including coprophagia, self-mutilation, and...
. Phillips made the film while a junior at NYU and it went on to become one of the biggest grossing student films at the time, even getting a limited theatrical release. Phillips followed up Junkies with Frat House
Frat House
Frat House is a documentary film exploring the darker side of fraternity life. The film was directed by Todd Phillips and Andrew Gurland, and largely filmed at Allentown, Pennsylvania's Muhlenberg College; the majority of the film was shot in the house of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, which has...
, a documentary about college fraternities that he produced and directed with then-partner, Andrew Gurland. Frat House premiered at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
and would win the Grand Jury Prize for documentary features. It was produced by HBO, but never aired on its channel because many of the film's participants claimed they were paid to re-enact their activities. It was never proven either way.
Phillips' documentary film, Bittersweet Motel
Bittersweet Motel
Bittersweet Motel is a documentary about the rock group Phish. The film was directed by Todd Phillips and covers the band's summer and fall 1997 tours, plus footage from their 1998 spring tour of Europe...
centered on the jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
. It covered the band's summer and fall 1997 tours, plus footage from their 1998 spring tour of Europe. The documentary ends at The Great Went, a giant two-day festival held in upstate Maine which attracted 70,000 people. While at Sundance with Frat House
Frat House
Frat House is a documentary film exploring the darker side of fraternity life. The film was directed by Todd Phillips and Andrew Gurland, and largely filmed at Allentown, Pennsylvania's Muhlenberg College; the majority of the film was shot in the house of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, which has...
, Phillips met director-producer Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman, OC is a Canadian film producer and director. He is known for the comedies he has directed and produced, especially in the 1980s and 1990s.He is the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 2000.-Early life:...
, which led to Phillips writing and directing his comedy films, Road Trip and Old School
Old School (film)
Old School is a 2003 American comedy film released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips, director of the documentary Frat House. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong...
, for Reitmans' Montecito Picture Company.
Phillips also wrote and directed the 2004 film Starsky & Hutch
Starsky & Hutch (film)
Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a film adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s....
starring Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara....
and Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson
Owen Cunningham Wilson is an American actor and writer, known for his roles in the films The Haunting, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Bottle Rocket, the Cars series, The Darjeeling Limited, Marley & Me, Midnight in Paris, Shanghai Noon,...
, as well as the 2006 film School for Scoundrels
School for Scoundrels (2006 film)
School for Scoundrels is a 2006 American comedy film, starring Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Heder, and directed by Todd Phillips. The film is based on the 1960 British film of the same name...
, starring Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
and Jon Heder
Jon Heder
Jonathan Joseph "Jon" Heder is an American screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. His feature film debut came in 2004 as the title character of the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite...
. In 2005 Details Magazine cited Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is well known for his work in comedy films, especially for films he has been involved with throughout the latter half of the 2000s. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, a film production company that also developed the...
, Adam McKay
Adam McKay
Adam McKay is an American screenwriter, director, comedian, and actor. He is most famous for his partnership with comedian Will Ferrell, with whom he co-wrote the films Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and The Other Guys....
and Phillips as "The Frat Pack". He worked on Borat
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, often referred to simply as Borat, is a 2006 mockumentary comedy film directed by Larry Charles and distributed by 20th Century Fox...
(2006); however, he resigned his position as director of the movie in early 2005, due to creative differences. Nevertheless, he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his role in fashioning the story.
In 2009, Phillips directed and produced The Hangover
The Hangover (film)
The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha and Jeffrey Tambor...
which was made for a reported $35 million dollars. The film went on to become the highest grossing R-Rated comedy of all time. Its worldwide gross currently stands at $480 million dollars. The film went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy). It also won Best Comedy at the 2009 Broadcast Film Critics Awards. Phillips took almost no up-front salary in exchange for a large share of the film's profits, and has said that the movie's enormous success combined with his deal, makes it "my Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
". After a worldwide gross of $467 million, his share in the film made Phillips around $50 million.
In the credits of every film he has directed, the picture is addressed as "A Todd Phillips Movie", despite the fact that usually these directorial credits are referred to as "A (director) Film". Movie is in fact a slang word, referring to it being a motion picture.
Actor
Director Phillips often appears in his own movies in cameoCameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
roles:
- In the film Road Trip (2000), he makes an appearance as "Foot Lover on Bus." He is wearing a track suit and a curly black wig.
- He has a cameo near the start of Old School (2003) and is at the door asking, "I'm, uh, here for the gangbang," and is credited as "Gang Bang Guy." Again, he is wearing a track suit and the same curly black wig.
- Phillips appears briefly in The HangoverThe Hangover (film)The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha and Jeffrey Tambor...
(2009). His character, "Mr. Creepy", is dressed in a tracksuit and is wearing a black curly wig. He is seen as the elevator doors open; he appears to have been crouched in front of the girl accompanying him. - He appears in the movie Due DateDue DateDue Date is a 2010 American comedy road film directed by Todd Phillips, co-written by Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland, and Adam Sztykiel, and starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The film was released on November 5, 2010...
(2010) as "Barry", the pot-smoking roommate of Juliette LewisJuliette LewisJuliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
's character Heidi.
Filmography as director
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies is a 1994 documentary directed by Todd Phillips about the life of GG Allin, a punk rock musician who died from a heroin overdose in 1993... |
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| 1998 | Frat House Frat House Frat House is a documentary film exploring the darker side of fraternity life. The film was directed by Todd Phillips and Andrew Gurland, and largely filmed at Allentown, Pennsylvania's Muhlenberg College; the majority of the film was shot in the house of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, which has... |
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| 2000 | Road Trip | |||
| Bittersweet Motel Bittersweet Motel Bittersweet Motel is a documentary about the rock group Phish. The film was directed by Todd Phillips and covers the band's summer and fall 1997 tours, plus footage from their 1998 spring tour of Europe... |
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| 2003 | Old School Old School (film) Old School is a 2003 American comedy film released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips, director of the documentary Frat House. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong... |
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| 2004 | Starsky & Hutch Starsky & Hutch (film) Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a film adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s.... |
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| 2006 | School for Scoundrels School for Scoundrels (2006 film) School for Scoundrels is a 2006 American comedy film, starring Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Heder, and directed by Todd Phillips. The film is based on the 1960 British film of the same name... |
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| 2009 | The Hangover The Hangover The Hangover is the second solo album by former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, released in 1997.-Track listing:All tracks by Clarke unless otherwise stated.# "Wasn't Yesterday Great" – 2:45# "It's Good Enough for Rock N' Roll" – 3:12... |
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| 2010 | Due Date Due Date Due Date is a 2010 American comedy road film directed by Todd Phillips, co-written by Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland, and Adam Sztykiel, and starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The film was released on November 5, 2010... |
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| 2011 | The Hangover Part II | |||
| 2013 | The Hangover Part III | |||