William Lustig

Biography

William Lustig (born February 1, 1955) is an American filmmaker and film distributor, known for his work in the horror genre. His best-known films include Maniac (1980), Vigilante (1982), and Maniac Cop (1988) and its sequels. He is also the founder of the boutique home video label Blue Underground. Description above from the Wikipedia article William Lustig, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Career Overview

William Lustig has 72 screen credits in a career dating back to 1974. Their work spans 6 cinematic universes — most prominently Maniac Cop with 3 titles. Signature works include Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence, Maniac Cop, Vigilante. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For: Directing
Gender: male
Known Credits: 72
Birth Date: 1955-02-01 00:00:00
Birth Place: The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Known For

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 6 universes

Maniac Cop (3 titles)
In Search of Darkness Collection (1 titles)
Evil Dead (1 titles)
Darkman (1 titles)
Relentless Collection (1 titles)
Death Wish (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

Frank Pesce (6 collaborations)
Robert Z'Dar (3 collaborations)
Robert Forster (3 collaborations)
Nick Barbaro (3 collaborations)
Robert Davi (2 collaborations)
Vic Manni (2 collaborations)
Jason Lustig (2 collaborations)
Henry Fehren (2 collaborations)
Bruce Campbell (2 collaborations)
Laurene Landon (2 collaborations)

Credits

production (29 credits)
- Maniac Cop
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2026
- The naked face
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2026
- Sole Survivor: Interview with Star Brooke Adams
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2014
- Maniac
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2012
- Zombie Lover
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2011
- The Death Dealer
  
  executive co-producer
  
  production
  
  2010
- Bloody Jess
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2007
- Daughters of Darkness: Locations of Darkness
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2006
- Giornata Nera
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2006
- The Spaghetti West
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2005
- Jesús in Furs
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2005
- Two Gangsters and an Island
  
  associate producer
  
  production
  
  2003
- Absence of Malick
  
  associate producer
  
  production
  
  2003
- A British Horror Film
  
  associate producer
  
  production
  
  2003
- To the Devil... The Death of Hammer
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2002
- Don't Look Now: Looking Back
  
  associate producer
  
  production
  
  2002
- Death in Venice: Interview with Aldo Lado
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2002
- Discovering Evil Dead
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2002
- A Sleuthian Journey with Anthony Shaffer
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2002
- Halloween 4: Final Cut
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2001
- Suspiria 25th Anniversary
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2001
- The Joe Spinell Story
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2001
- A Hollywood Life: Remembering Frances
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2001
- The Stepford Life
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2001
- The Making of 'Evil Dead II' or The Gore the Merrier
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2000
- Halloween: Unmasked
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  1999
- Vigilante
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1983
- Maniac
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1980
- The Squeeze
  
  production manager
  
  production
  
  1978
actors (29 credits)
- Finding Planet Porno: The Wild Journey of American Cinema's First Outlaw
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2024
- Masters of the Grind
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2023
- In Search of Darkness: Part III
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2022
- Charles Band’s Full Moon Freakshow
  
  - Episode 14: William Lustig (2022) ... actor actors
  
  2022
- Maniac: The making of a living pulp novel
  himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2020
- The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs
  
  - Maniac Cop 2 (2021) ... Himself actor actors
  
  2019
- Returning to the scene of the crime
  himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2018
- Tax Shelter Terrors
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2017
- VHS Revolution
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2017
- 42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2015
- Maniac: The Making of Documentary
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2013
- The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2013
- American Grindhouse
  Himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2011
- Maniac Men
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2010
- 13 Scarier Movie Moments
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2009
- Post Traumatic: An American Nightmare
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2009
- Direct Your Own Damn Movie!
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2009
- The Joe Spinell Story
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Scream and Scream Again: A History of the Slasher Film
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2000
- Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Shocking Truth
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2000
- Army of Darkness
  Fake Shemp
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1992
- Trepanator
  Man with nightmares
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1992
- Darkman
  Dockworker
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1990
- Relentless
  Cop #2
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1989
- Cameron's Closet
  Ice Cream Eater (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1988
- Maniac Cop
  Motel Manager
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1988
- Vigilante
  First Man Exiting Courtroom Elevator (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1983
- Maniac
  Al - Hotel Manager (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1980
directing (10 credits)
- Conducting Dario Argento's 'Opera'
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2001
- Uncle Sam
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1996
- The Expert
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1995
- Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1992
- Maniac Cop 2
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1990
- Relentless
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1989
- Hit List
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1989
- Maniac Cop
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1988
- Vigilante
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1983
- Maniac
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1980
crew (3 credits)
- Bleeder
  
  thanks
  
  crew
  
  1999
- Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror
  
  thanks
  
  crew
  
  1994
- Death Wish
  
  editorial staff
  
  crew
  
  1974
writing (1 credits)
- Tripwire
  
  story
  
  writing
  
  1989

Content sources

Related entry on Wikidata (Q1849400), public domain (CC0).