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William N. Panzer is a Scriptwriter and Producer American born on 6 september 1942 at New York City (USA)

William N. Panzer

William N. Panzer
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Birth name William Norton Panzer
Nationality USA
Birth 6 september 1942 at New York City (USA)
Death 17 march 2007 (at 64 years) at Boise (USA)

William Norton Panzer (September 6, 1942 – March 18, 2007), also referred to as Bill Panzer, was an American television and film producer best known as one half of Davis-Panzer Inc, the production company behind the Highlander franchise.

Panzer was born in New York City and educated at Princeton University. He then attended the New York University Film School, and worked as a cameraman and film editor, then produced television commercials at VPI. In 1968, still at New York University, he produced the feature documentary Mexican Anticipation starring Duke Ellington. Panzer then partnered Phos Cine Productions in New York, making commercials and industrial films for seven years.

In 1976, Panzer moved to Los Angeles and partnered with Peter Davis to found Davis-Panzer Productions. They produced more than twenty films, including The Osterman Weekend (1983, directed by Sam Peckinpah), Death Collector with Joe Pesci, Stunts, and Freeway (1988).

This company also made the Highlander franchise, which comprises five movies, two television series, animated features and video games. Panzer co-wrote screenplays for three Highlander movies, was Executive Producer of Highlander: The Series, which were nominated three times for the Gemini Awards and once for a Saturn Award in 1998. Panzer regularly attended Highlander conventions, where he mingled with fans and was very popular. Panzer has also been a familiar figure at the Cannes Film Festival since 1982.

On March 18, 2007, Panzer, who owned a home in Ketchum, Idaho, fell while iceskating at the neighbouring resort of Sun Valley. After being transported by helicopter to St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, he died at 7:01 p.m. Cause of death was a "blunt force trauma of the head due to a ground level fall," stated the Ada County Coroners' office.

Panzer was a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and of the Television Academy. His wife was Priscilla Panzer. There is a scholarship fund in his name at the Lawrenceville School in Princeton, New Jersey.

Best films

Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
(Story)
Highlander (1986)
(Producer)

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of William N. Panzer (14 films)

Display filmography as list

Scriptwriter

Highlander: Endgame, 1h27
Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Time travel films
Actors Adrian Paul, Christophe Lambert, Bruce Payne, Lisa Barbuscia, Donnie Yen, Peter Wingfield
Roles Story
Rating46% 2.30242.30242.30242.30242.3024
In A.D. 1555, Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) returns to his former home in Glenfinnan, Scotland, to save his mother from his former friend and village priest Jacob Kell (Bruce Payne). Kell executes Connor's mother for witchcraft. Connor kills both Kell and Kell's adopted father, Father Rainey, and sets Glenfinnan ablaze. Jacob Kell is reborn as an Immortal, and vows vengeance against Connor for Rainey's death. He spends the next four centuries killing people Connor cares about. Kell amasses great power by ignoring the rules of The Game; he recruits several lesser Immortals as disciples, who overpower other Immortals so Kell can take their heads. By the turn of the century, Kell has 661 Immortal kills (compared to 262 for Connor MacLeod, and 174 for Duncan MacLeod).
Highlander: The Final Dimension, 1h39
Origin Canada
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films set in Africa, Seafaring films, Transport films, Time travel films
Actors Christophe Lambert, Mario Van Peebles, Mako Iwamatsu, Deborah Kara Unger, Martin Neufeld, Daniel Dõ
Roles Story
Rating44% 2.2037552.2037552.2037552.2037552.203755
From the dawn of time we came, moving silently among you, down through the centuries...Immortals. I'm Connor MacLeod of the clan MacLeod, the Highlander. After the death of my friend Ramírez and my beloved wife Heather, I left my home in the Highlands of Scotland and began to wander the world, searching for answers. Finally I came to Japan, to the mountains of Niri, and the cave of the sorcerer Nakano.— Connor MacLeod
Highlander II: The Quickening, 1h31
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Environmental films, Post-apocalyptic films, Films about terrorism, Time travel films, Films set in the future, Films about extraterrestrial life, Political films, Dystopian films, Films about extraterrestrial life
Actors Christophe Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen, Michael Ironside, John C. McGinley, Allan Rich
Roles Story
Rating42% 2.1044752.1044752.1044752.1044752.104475
In August 1994, news broadcasts announce that the ozone layer is fading, and will be completely gone in a matter of months. In Africa, millions have perished from the effects of unfiltered sunlight. Among the dead is Connor MacLeod's wife, Brenda Wyatt MacLeod. Before dying, Brenda extracts a promise from Connor that he will solve the problem of the ozone layer.
Steel
Steel (1979)

Directed by Steve Carver
Origin USA
Genres Action, Adventure, Crime
Actors Lee Majors, Jennifer O'Neill, Art Carney, George Kennedy, Harris Yulin, Redmond Gleeson
Roles Story Developer
Rating58% 2.949062.949062.949062.949062.94906
Spécalisé dans la construction des hautes tours, dans les grandes agglomérations américaines, Lew Cassidy est victime d'une chute mortelle en voulant porter secours à l'un de ses ouvriers. Sa fille Cass décide de prendre en main l'affaire paternelle et de terminer la construction de l'immense building, malgré la farouche opposition d'Eddie, le propre frère de Lew, transporteur d'acier...

Producer

Highlander: The Source, 1h26
Directed by Brett Leonard
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Time travel films, Films set in the future
Actors Adrian Paul, Peter Wingfield, Jim Byrnes, Thekla Reuten, Cristian Solimeno, Stephen Rahman-Hughes
Roles Producer
Rating30% 1.5114551.5114551.5114551.5114551.511455
A group of Immortals quest to locate the mysterious "Source" of immortal power in the near future. One member of the group, Zai Jie, breaks into a communications tower in Eastern Europe and contacts his associates to give them the location of the Source. The Guardian of the Source, who has supernatural speed, confronts and decapitates him. Reggie, another group member, discovers that the planets are moving from their orbits into a cosmic alignment.
Highlander: The Search for Vengeance, 1h26
Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Origin Japon
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Animation
Themes Films set in Africa, Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Time travel films, Films set in the future, Political films, Dystopian films, Disaster films
Actors Alistair Abell, Shun Oguri, Scott McNeil, Nolan North, Janyse Jaud, Romi Park
Roles Producer
Rating67% 3.355353.355353.355353.355353.35535
The story centers on characters who are immortal. The lead character, Colin MacLeod, became an Immortal after his first death in 125 AD in Roman Britain, when his village was attacked by the conquering Romans. Another Immortal, Marcus Octavius, was leading the Roman Empire's military forces in hopes of creating his dream of a utopian society. Octavius killed Colin's wife, but was not able to kill Colin whose unconscious body was dragged by a horse to within Stonehenge, a "holy ground" in the story, where Immortals are forbidden to fight.
Highlander: Endgame, 1h27
Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Time travel films
Actors Adrian Paul, Christophe Lambert, Bruce Payne, Lisa Barbuscia, Donnie Yen, Peter Wingfield
Roles Producer
Rating46% 2.30242.30242.30242.30242.3024
In A.D. 1555, Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) returns to his former home in Glenfinnan, Scotland, to save his mother from his former friend and village priest Jacob Kell (Bruce Payne). Kell executes Connor's mother for witchcraft. Connor kills both Kell and Kell's adopted father, Father Rainey, and sets Glenfinnan ablaze. Jacob Kell is reborn as an Immortal, and vows vengeance against Connor for Rainey's death. He spends the next four centuries killing people Connor cares about. Kell amasses great power by ignoring the rules of The Game; he recruits several lesser Immortals as disciples, who overpower other Immortals so Kell can take their heads. By the turn of the century, Kell has 661 Immortal kills (compared to 262 for Connor MacLeod, and 174 for Duncan MacLeod).
Highlander II: The Quickening, 1h31
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Environmental films, Post-apocalyptic films, Films about terrorism, Time travel films, Films set in the future, Films about extraterrestrial life, Political films, Dystopian films, Films about extraterrestrial life
Actors Christophe Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen, Michael Ironside, John C. McGinley, Allan Rich
Roles Producer
Rating42% 2.1044752.1044752.1044752.1044752.104475
In August 1994, news broadcasts announce that the ozone layer is fading, and will be completely gone in a matter of months. In Africa, millions have perished from the effects of unfiltered sunlight. Among the dead is Connor MacLeod's wife, Brenda Wyatt MacLeod. Before dying, Brenda extracts a promise from Connor that he will solve the problem of the ozone layer.
Cat Chaser
Cat Chaser (1989)
, 1h30
Directed by Abel Ferrara
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Heist films
Actors Peter Weller, Kelly McGillis, Charles Durning, Frederic Forrest, Tomás Milián, Kelly Jo Minter
Roles Producer
Rating52% 2.6023652.6023652.6023652.6023652.602365
George Moran is a former American paratrooper and veteran of the Dominican Republic intervention who now runs a small beachfront motel in Miami.
Cutting Class, 1h31
Directed by Rospo Pallenberg
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Horror comedy, Horror, Crime, Slasher
Themes Serial killer films, Comedy horror films
Actors Brad Pitt, Roddy McDowall, Jill Schoelen, Donovan Leitch, Martin Mull, Nancy Fish
Roles Executive Producer
Rating45% 2.2560652.2560652.2560652.2560652.256065
The plot revolves around the return of Brian Woods (Leitch), a "problem teen." He has just been released from a mental hospital; he was admitted after the suspicious death of his father, who crashed and died while driving a car with cut brakes. He falls in love with classmate Paula Carson (Jill Schoelen), but the local basketball star Dwight Ingalls (Brad Pitt) is already Paula's boyfriend. Meanwhile, the lecherous school principal also seeks Paula's affections. Then horrible murders start happening with no one certain of the identity of the culprit. The main suspects are Dwight, whose control of his anger has never been perfect; Woods, who may not have been fully cured at the sanitarium; and the principal, who seems to stop at nothing in his attempts to bed Paula.
Freeway
Freeway (1988)
, 1h31
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Horror, Crime
Actors Darlanne Fluegel, James Russo, Billy Drago, Richard Belzer, Michael Callan, Clint Howard
Roles Producer
Rating50% 2.513262.513262.513262.513262.51326
Sarah 'Sunny' Harper becomes a witness to the work of a spree killer, shooting people on the freeway. First protected by a former cop named Frank Quinn, she later joins him trying to find the killer.
Highlander
Highlander (1986)
, 1h56
Directed by Russell Mulcahy, Stephen Hopkins
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Time travel films, Children's films, Immortalité
Actors Christophe Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, Roxanne Hart, Alan North, Jon Polito
Roles Producer
Rating69% 3.49913.49913.49913.49913.4991
Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez In 1985, Connor MacLeod, also known as the Highlander, is in New York City. In an arena parking garage, Connor is confronted by fellow immortal Iman Fasil, and decapitates him, upon which an energy surge destroys several cars around him. Police swarm the exit to the garage, and arrest Connor.
The Osterman Weekend, 1h43
Directed by Sam Peckinpah, Rodney Amateau
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Spy
Themes Spy films, Political films
Actors Rutger Hauer, John Hurt, Dennis Hopper, Craig T. Nelson, Meg Foster, Burt Lancaster
Roles Producer
Rating57% 2.898632.898632.898632.898632.89863
CIA director Maxwell Danforth (Lancaster) watches a filmed recording of agent Laurence Fassett (Hurt) and his wife making love. When Fassett goes into the bathroom to take a shower, two assassins enter the bedroom and kill his wife (Merete Van Kamp) by holding her down and injecting poison into her nostril with a syringe. It is suggested that the woman was an innocent bystander sacrificed by Danforth as collateral damage. Fassett, unaware of his employer's involvement, goes almost insane with grief and rage and begins to hunt down the assassins, eventually uncovering a Soviet spy network known as Omega.
St. Helens
St. Helens (1981)
, 1h30
Directed by Ernest Pintoff
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action
Themes Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Art Carney, David Huffman, Albert Salmi, Ron O'Neal, Tim Thomerson, Bill McKinney
Roles Producer
Rating60% 3.049973.049973.049973.049973.04997
The film opens up with an image of Central Oregon's Mount Bachelor and the Central Oregon Cascades, which is the fictional setting for Mount St. Helens itself. On March 20, 1980 an earthquake of 4.1 on the Richter Scale strikes Mount St. Helens, signalling the first signs of volcanic activity in 123 years.
Steel
Steel (1979)

Directed by Steve Carver
Origin USA
Genres Action, Adventure, Crime
Actors Lee Majors, Jennifer O'Neill, Art Carney, George Kennedy, Harris Yulin, Redmond Gleeson
Roles Producer
Rating58% 2.949062.949062.949062.949062.94906
Spécalisé dans la construction des hautes tours, dans les grandes agglomérations américaines, Lew Cassidy est victime d'une chute mortelle en voulant porter secours à l'un de ses ouvriers. Sa fille Cass décide de prendre en main l'affaire paternelle et de terminer la construction de l'immense building, malgré la farouche opposition d'Eddie, le propre frère de Lew, transporteur d'acier...