Danny Leiner, director of Harold & Kumar, Dude Where's My Car, dead at 57
10-20-18, 03:44 PM
#1
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Danny Leiner, director of Harold & Kumar, Dude Where's My Car, dead at 57
https://deadline.com/2018/10/danny-l...57-1202486643/
Not a huge name, but sad he died. He directed a lot of TV. I'm Facebook friends with Kate Kelton, who was in Harold and Kumar, and she said he died of cancer.
Kate played one of the 2 women in that nasty bathroom scene in Harold and Kumar.
Danny Leiner, the director behind comedies Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle and Dude, Where’s My Car?, has died after what’s described as a long illness. His death at age 57 was confirmed via a Facebook post by Ross Putman, who produced several films with Leiner.
“If there’s one thing I can say about Danny the professional, it’s that he refused to let us settle for anything less than our best,” Putman wrote on Facebook. “He pushed us to do what he knew we were capable of. Danny the person was sardonic, sharp, and savvy, with a love for culture and comedy of all kinds. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but the world has lost a good one.”
Actors John Cho and Kal Penn, the stars of the Harold & Kumar films, praised Leiner via Twitter as a “funny, thoughtful, encouraging person.”
Leiner graduated SUNY Purchase in 1987. His first feature film was Layin’ Low, starring Jeremy Piven and Edie Falco, and he followed that with Dude, Where’s My Car?, which bowed in 2000.
His ethnically groundbreaking Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle would spawn two sequels.
Leiner also was active in televison, directing episodes of Felicity, Freaks and Geeks, Party of Five, Gilmore Girls, Arrested Development, The Sopranos, and The Office.
Leiner’s last credited work is an episode he directed of ABC’s Selfie, which reunited him with Cho.
“If there’s one thing I can say about Danny the professional, it’s that he refused to let us settle for anything less than our best,” Putman wrote on Facebook. “He pushed us to do what he knew we were capable of. Danny the person was sardonic, sharp, and savvy, with a love for culture and comedy of all kinds. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but the world has lost a good one.”
Actors John Cho and Kal Penn, the stars of the Harold & Kumar films, praised Leiner via Twitter as a “funny, thoughtful, encouraging person.”
Leiner graduated SUNY Purchase in 1987. His first feature film was Layin’ Low, starring Jeremy Piven and Edie Falco, and he followed that with Dude, Where’s My Car?, which bowed in 2000.
His ethnically groundbreaking Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle would spawn two sequels.
Leiner also was active in televison, directing episodes of Felicity, Freaks and Geeks, Party of Five, Gilmore Girls, Arrested Development, The Sopranos, and The Office.
Leiner’s last credited work is an episode he directed of ABC’s Selfie, which reunited him with Cho.
Not a huge name, but sad he died. He directed a lot of TV. I'm Facebook friends with Kate Kelton, who was in Harold and Kumar, and she said he died of cancer.
Kate played one of the 2 women in that nasty bathroom scene in Harold and Kumar.
10-20-18, 05:39 PM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Danny Leiner, director of Harold & Kumar, Dude Where's My Car, dead at 57
That’s sad to hear, I always wondered why he didn’t direct any of the other Harold and Kumar movies. I have the “Dude Where’s my Car” dvd just for the commentary track.
10-20-18, 10:12 PM
#3
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Not necessarily Formerly known as Solid Snake
Posts: 29,227
Received 1,242 Likes
on
853 Posts
Re: Danny Leiner, director of Harold & Kumar, Dude Where's My Car, dead at 57
Couldn’t have told you his name, but I love Harold and Kumar. He definitely brought many smiles to my face! RIP Mr. Leiner.
