Debra Hill
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Debra Hill (November 10, 1950–March 7, 2005) was an American screenwriter and film producer who co-wrote the horror movie Halloween.
Hill was born in Haddonfield, New Jersey and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She entered the movie business in 1974 and was unhappy with the level of condescension she experienced because of her gender. She started as a production assistant on adventure documentaries, and progressed through jobs as a script supervisor, assistant director and second unit director.
Hill first worked with John Carpenter in 1975, as the script supervisor on Assault on Precinct 13. This job not only led to further professional collaborations between Hill and Carpenter, but also marked the beginning of their personal relationship.
In 1978 she and director Carpenter co-wrote the horror movie Halloween. Following its success, Hill and Carpenter worked together on Halloween II (1981) and Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) but left the series after the latter's failure at the box office. Their other credits together include: The Fog (1980), Escape From New York (1981) and its sequel, Escape From L.A. (1996).
In 1986 Hill formed an independent production company with her friend Lynda Obst. Together they produced Adventures in Babysitting, Heartbreak Hotel and The Fisher King.
In 1988 she entered a contract with Walt Disney Pictures under which she produced Gross Anatomy, short films for the Walt Disney theme park and an NBC special for Disneyland's 35th anniversary.
She also produced The Dead Zone (1983), Head Office (1985), and Clue (1985).
She was honored by Women in Film in 2003.
Hill had cancer diagnosed in February 2004 but continued to work on several projects. At the time of her death she was working on the Oliver Stone film World Trade Center.
After her death Carpenter told Associated Press that working with Hill was one of the "greatest experiences of my life. She had a passion for not just movies about women or women's ideas, but films for everybody".
