Tod Swindell
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
- Producer
About Tod Swindell...
Tod Evan Swindell was born in Yonkers, New York and was raised in southern California and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A Cinema Arts graduate of the University of Arizona, he is a veteran of the film industry who primarily specializes in Intellectual Property acquisitions and story Research & Development. Tod is also a part-time journalist with published articles on Pop-Culture, Baseball, and the Golden Age of Aviation. His film career began with Touchstone's 'Can't Buy Me Love' and Universal Television's 'Desperado' western mini-series for NBC. For years he traveled the country making television movies with Desperado Films, Inc., and served as its company president. He co-created and was the original research & development chief for the 1992-93 CBS Television series, 'Miracles and Other Wonders' presented by Paul Klein (PKO) and Sun International's Charles Sellier. His producer credits include 'The Woman in the Moon' 'The Legend of the Phantom Rider' 'Ghost Rock' 'Spin' and 'Secret Agent Dingledorf.' His other production credits include 'Geronimo' 'Major League' 'Six Days and Seven Nights' 'Tin Cup' 'Posse' and 'Perdita Durango'. His past TV series credits include 'The Young Riders' 'Legend' 'The Game' 'The Magnificent Seven' and numerous commercials and music videos. He also has a new documentary, "Three Irenes and the Missing Person Case of Amelia Earhart" in post-production.
Tod owns the 'Grizzly Adams' trademarked brand with his wife, Julie Magnuson Swindell, [see GrizzlyAdams.com] that is a business partner of the Vital Ground Foundation, a non-profit land trust based in Missoula, Montana. Vital Ground is a Pacific Northwest organization that works to reconnect severed territories of umbrella species wildlife such as elk, bald eagles, grizzly bears, and wolves. It also educates the public on habitat importance for all umbrella species. A percentage of all Grizzly Adams licensing proceeds goes directly to Vital Ground. Current brand activity includes bringing Grizzly Adams back to the screen.
A former shortstop in high school and college, Tod is an avid book collector who also enjoys his art hobbies of charcoal and pencil drawing, photography, and composing music for piano and guitar. Tod's parents, both UCLA graduates, were Cinema Scholar and Screen Star biographer, the late Larry Swindell, who was inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame in the same class as former First lady Laura Bush. Tod's mother was former Equity Theater actress, the late Ellie Eby Swindell, who was credited by her UCLA friend, Carol Burnett, for helping to kick-start Carol's legendary career by endorsing her into New York City's famous Rehearsal Club, where each began their professional careers. Tod is also the grandson of Hollywood's 1950s' Lux Video Theater Director & Executive Producer, the late Earl Eby. Establishing a precedent for his daughter, Ellie, when Earl was producing radio shows in Chicago in the early 1940s, he offered room, board, and radio talent work to his struggling friend, Danny Thomas, whose famous career took off from there.
Tod and Julie, both lovers of wildlife and the great outdoors, split time between their Pacific Northwest home and the southern California coast.
Tod Evan Swindell was born in Yonkers, New York and was raised in southern California and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A Cinema Arts graduate of the University of Arizona, he is a veteran of the film industry who primarily specializes in Intellectual Property acquisitions and story Research & Development. Tod is also a part-time journalist with published articles on Pop-Culture, Baseball, and the Golden Age of Aviation. His film career began with Touchstone's 'Can't Buy Me Love' and Universal Television's 'Desperado' western mini-series for NBC. For years he traveled the country making television movies with Desperado Films, Inc., and served as its company president. He co-created and was the original research & development chief for the 1992-93 CBS Television series, 'Miracles and Other Wonders' presented by Paul Klein (PKO) and Sun International's Charles Sellier. His producer credits include 'The Woman in the Moon' 'The Legend of the Phantom Rider' 'Ghost Rock' 'Spin' and 'Secret Agent Dingledorf.' His other production credits include 'Geronimo' 'Major League' 'Six Days and Seven Nights' 'Tin Cup' 'Posse' and 'Perdita Durango'. His past TV series credits include 'The Young Riders' 'Legend' 'The Game' 'The Magnificent Seven' and numerous commercials and music videos. He also has a new documentary, "Three Irenes and the Missing Person Case of Amelia Earhart" in post-production.
Tod owns the 'Grizzly Adams' trademarked brand with his wife, Julie Magnuson Swindell, [see GrizzlyAdams.com] that is a business partner of the Vital Ground Foundation, a non-profit land trust based in Missoula, Montana. Vital Ground is a Pacific Northwest organization that works to reconnect severed territories of umbrella species wildlife such as elk, bald eagles, grizzly bears, and wolves. It also educates the public on habitat importance for all umbrella species. A percentage of all Grizzly Adams licensing proceeds goes directly to Vital Ground. Current brand activity includes bringing Grizzly Adams back to the screen.
A former shortstop in high school and college, Tod is an avid book collector who also enjoys his art hobbies of charcoal and pencil drawing, photography, and composing music for piano and guitar. Tod's parents, both UCLA graduates, were Cinema Scholar and Screen Star biographer, the late Larry Swindell, who was inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame in the same class as former First lady Laura Bush. Tod's mother was former Equity Theater actress, the late Ellie Eby Swindell, who was credited by her UCLA friend, Carol Burnett, for helping to kick-start Carol's legendary career by endorsing her into New York City's famous Rehearsal Club, where each began their professional careers. Tod is also the grandson of Hollywood's 1950s' Lux Video Theater Director & Executive Producer, the late Earl Eby. Establishing a precedent for his daughter, Ellie, when Earl was producing radio shows in Chicago in the early 1940s, he offered room, board, and radio talent work to his struggling friend, Danny Thomas, whose famous career took off from there.
Tod and Julie, both lovers of wildlife and the great outdoors, split time between their Pacific Northwest home and the southern California coast.