David N. Weiss

David Nathan Weiss (born 1960) is an American writer, lecturer and labor leader.   He is a screenwriter of films, including All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Rugrats Movie, Shrek 2, Clockstoppers, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, and The Smurfs and has also written for television shows such as Mission Hill, all of which were co-written with his writing partner, J. David Stem. 

Early life
David Nathan Weiss was born circa 1960 and grew up in Ventura, California.  He graduated from the Buena High School in Ventura.  An honors business graduate of Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA (B.S. Business Admin, Magna Cum Laude), Mr. Weiss received his master's degree from the USC School of Cinematic Arts (MFA Production). 

Career
Weiss wrote and directed several award-winning shorts and wrote the screenplay for the MGM classic, All Dogs Go to Heaven.  With his writing partner, J. David Stem, Weiss served as a head writer for Rugrats  and wrote the holiday special Chanukah.  Other TV credits include the popular CBS series, Cybill (executive story editor) The WB's Mission Hill (co-producer) and Nickelodeon's Roundhouse.  Weiss also co-wrote the blockbuster family comedy, Are We There Yet, starring Ice Cube, Paramount's adventure film, Clockstoppers and served as co-executive producer/showrunner on Focus on the Family's popular The Storykeepers video series. 

Weiss was nominated for a prime time Emmy Award for his work on the Rugrats Mother's Day special and two of his films were nominated for Academy Awards (Shrek 2 & Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius – "Best Animated Feature").  The Smurfs spent a record-breaking 7 weeks at #1, worldwide.  His combined box office now exceeds $2.3 billion, worldwide. 

In 2005, Weiss was elected vice president of the Writers Guild of America, West.  In 2009, after serving two terms as vice president, Weiss was elected secretary-treasurer of the Writers Guild of America, West. 

Weiss has also written three books for children, including Kay Thompson's bestseller, Eloise in Hollywood (with Stem, for Simon & Schuster).  He is a patron of the Insight Film Festival.  He has taught at the Ma'aleh School of Television, Film and the Arts in Jerusalem, Israel. 

Personal life
Weiss is married with two children. 

Weiss was raised as a Reform Jew and converted to Christianity as a teenager.  After living in Los Angeles, he returned to Judaism as an observant Jew. 

References

External links
Jewish Impact Films

Category:Living people
Category:1960s births
Category:People from Ventura, California
Category:People from Los Angeles
Category:Converts to Judaism from Christianity
Category:Pepperdine University alumni
Category:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni
Category:American Orthodox Jews
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:Animation screenwriters
Category:Baalei teshuva
Category:Former Presbyterians
Category:Jewish American writers
Category:Screenwriters from California