Vernon Zimmerman is a multitalented writer, director, and producer who has made significant contributions to a variety of unconventional and innovative films throughout his career.
He began his feature film career as a director with the 1962 short film "Lemon Heart," which starred Taylor Mead, a poet, playwright, and longtime associate of Andy Warhol.
Zimmerman's subsequent work includes writing and directing the cult classic "Unholy Rollers," a roller derby drive-in film starring Claudia Jennings, as well as the offbeat comedic road movie "Deadhead Miles," which he co-wrote with Terrence Malick.
Zimmerman's most notable achievement as writer and director is the horror slasher film "Fade to Black," a psychological study of a socially awkward film buff who seeks revenge against his tormentors. This film earned him a Saturn Award nomination for Best Director and is often cited as a precursor to Wes Craven's "Scream."
In addition to his work in feature films, Zimmerman has written scripts for several other projects, including the horror-Western "Hex," the redneck crime exploitation film "Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw," the made-for-TV wrestling comedy/drama "Mad Bull," the failed TV pilot "Shooting Stars," and the fantasy comedy "Teen Witch."
Zimmerman's most recent film is the six-minute comic short "Chuck and Wally on the Road." He has also been working as a script analyst and teaches screenwriting courses at UCLA's Extension and Certificate Program.
