David L. Paterson

David Lord Paterson (born 1966) is an American screenwriter, playwright, stuntman, actor and producer.  He is the son of Katherine Paterson, the author of Bridge to Terabithia.

When Paterson was a boy, his best friend, an eight-year-old girl named Lisa Hill, was struck by lightning and killed.  His mother, Katherine Paterson, used this real-life experience to write her children's novel Bridge to Terabithia. David Paterson produced and co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of the novel released in 2007.

He graduated from The Catholic University of America in 1989 with a BA. Paterson held a special advance screening of Bridge to Terabithia on February 1, 2007, for members of the CUA community at the AFI Silver Theatre  in Silver Spring, Maryland.

David has 14 titles published through Concorde Theatricals and is the only playwright on record to have three plays premiere in one month on NewYork stages. He adapted one of those plays, FINGERPAINTING IN A MURPHYBED, starring Kevin Sussman, into his film LOVE LUDLOW, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, with Brendon Sexton III, David Eigenberg and Alicia Goranson.

As a stuntman, David doubled for Robin Williams in the feature, THE ANGRIEST MAN IN BROOKLYN.

In 2016 David adapted his mother's novel, THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS, starring Sophie Nelisse, Glenn Close, Kathy Bates, Octavia Spenser and Julia Stiles. It was released through Lionsgate.

In 2024 David's documentary THE GIRL WHO WORE FREEDOM enjoyed a 110 city release centered around the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.

References

Other websites
Official homepage  Retrieved 12 Feb 2007.

Category:1966 births
Category:Living people
Category:American screenwriters
Category:writers from Washington, D.C.