David Loughery, Screenwriter on ‘Star Trek V’ and ‘Passenger 57,’ Dies at 71

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As a huge fan of David Loughery‘s impressive body of work in Hollywood, I am deeply saddened by the news of his passing at the age of 71 due to skin cancer. His contributions to the film industry spanned over four decades, with an impressive list of collaborations with renowned directors and actors.

I was saddened to learn that David Loughery, the screenwriter behind some of my favorite action movies like Dreamscape, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Money Train with Wesley Snipes, and Passenger 57, has passed away at the age of 71.

According to friend Fred Rappaport, Loughery passed away on Tuesday in St. Petersburg, Florida, due to skin cancer.

Loughery worked together with director Joseph Ruben on the films “Dreamscape” (1984) featuring Dennis Quaid, “The Good Son” (1993) headlined by Macauley Culkin, “Money Train” (1995) that included Woody Harrelson and Snipes as co-stars after their collaboration in “White Men Can’t Jump”, and “Blindsided” (2013) with Michelle Monaghan and Michael Keaton in the leading roles.

On March 3, 1953, Loughery was born in Oak Park, Illinois. After completing his undergraduate studies at Ball State University, he went on to earn a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. In the year 1981, Loughery contributed to writing an episode for ABC’s popular show “Hart to Hart.”

Following his first acting appearance in “Dreamscape,” he received sole screenplay recognition and contributed to the storyline of “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” (1989), which marked William Shatner’s directorial role in the Paramount series.

After that, Loughery made several films including “Flashback” from 1990, which had Dennis Hopper and Kiefer Sutherland as stars; “Passenger 57” in 1992, which Kevin Hooks directed; and a 1993 adaptation of “The Three Musketeers,” titled “The Three Musketeers,” with Stephen Herek at the helm, and boasting the presence of Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, and Chris O’Donnell.

I’ve had the privilege of contributing to some pretty cool film projects throughout my career as a screenwriter. For instance, I worked on Neil LaBute’s “Lakeview Terrace” back in 2008, which featured Samuel L. Jackson. Another noteworthy one was “Obsessed,” released in 2009, starring Beyoncé and Idris Elba. More recently, I’ve taken on producer roles for “The Intruder” (2019), “Fatale” (2020), and “Shattered” (2022).

Survivors include his wife, Mel; his mother, Joan; and his siblings, William and Amy.

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2024-07-16 01:55