Donald W. Thompson

Donald Whitney Thompson (August 18, 1937 – July 17, 2019) was a film director, producer and screenwriter of Christian films. He was best known for the evangelical Christian film series A Thief in the Night about the Rapture and Tribulation.

Donald Whitney Thompson
Born(1937-08-18)August 18, 1937
Hornell, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 17, 2019(2019-07-17) (aged 81)
Iowa, U.S.
OccupationFilm director, producer and screenwriter
Years active1959–1993

Life and career

Thompson was born in Hornell, New York. He graduated from Hamburg Central High School in 1956.

Upon graduating high school, Thompson joined the Air Force where he served as a motion picture editorial specialist,[1] director and producer. He moved to Des Moines in 1967 to write a series of movies for General Motors. In 1968, he married his wife, Beverly.

In the 1972, Thompson partnered with Russell Doughten to form the Christian film company Mark IV Pictures.[2]:577-578 Thompson wrote and directed 12 feature-length motion pictures, including the prophecy series that began with A Thief in the Night. According to Heather Hendershot, professor of film and media at MIT,

"It would be hard to overstate the influence of Thompson's films on evangelical culture. Today, many teen evangelicals have not seen A Thief in the Night, but virtually every evangelical over thirty I've talked to is familiar with it, and most have seen it."[3]:187

After twelve years and twelve pictures together, a disagreement over management and distribution forced Thompson out of Mark IV in 1984.[2]:355 Doughten retained Mark IV Pictures, while Thompson signed on with American Media in Des Moines.[4]:66

The Christian and secular film industries alike have praised Thompson's work. Harry Bristow of the Christian Film Distributors Association calls him "the finest director in the industry."[4]:65

Thompson also spent time as a radio disk jockey at KRNT in Des Moines, and did a Christian radio broadcast on KWKY in Des Moines.[4]:69

He died in 2019 in Iowa.[5]

Filmography
Year Title Notes
1969 Candle in the Wind (TV Movie) Producer, Director
1972 A Thief in the Night Producer, Director, Writer (story)
1974 The Enemy Director
1974 Blood on the Mountain Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay/story)
1975 Survival Producer, Director, Writer (story/screenplay)
1976 A Stranger in My Forest Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay)
1977 All the King's Horses Director, Writer
1978 A Distant Thunder Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay/story)
1979 Paradise Trail Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay)
1980 Heaven's Heroes Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay)
1980 Image of the Beast Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay/story)
1981 Home Safe Director, Writer
1982 Face in the Mirror Actor
1983 The Prodigal Planet Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay/story)
1984 The Shepherd Producer, Director, Writer (original story)
1986 The Miracle Man International Silver Screen Award, New York Times Film Critics' Award[4]:66
1987 Life Flight: The Move Producer, Director, Writer (screenplay/story)
1993 Alone in the Dark (Short) Producer, Director

References
  1. The Sun and the Erie County Independent, 5 May 1971
  2. Balmer, Randall (200). Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664224097.
  3. Hendershot, Heather (2010). Shaking the World for Jesus, Media and Conservative Evangelical Culture. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226326801.
  4. Balmer, Randall (2014). Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey Into the Evangelical Subculture in America. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199360482.
  5. Donald W. Thompson
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