Charles Edward Sellier Jr. (November 9, 1943 – January 31, 2011) was an American television producer, screenwriter, novelist and director, best known for creating the American book and television series The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams. He was also known for directing the notorious Christmas themed slasher film Silent Night, Deadly Night. Over the course of his four decade career, Sellier wrote and produced more than thirty films and 230 television shows.
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Life and career
Sellier was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on November 9, 1943. He was the only son of Charles Edward Senior and Gladys Carson Sellier. His father worked as a shipping clerk. Sellier was born as a Cajun Catholic, later converting to Mormonism and then to evangelical Christianity.
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, which aired on NBC during the 1977–1978 television season, depicted a character, portrayed by actor Dan Haggerty, who escapes a bounty hunter and rescues a bear cub who becomes his constant companion in the series. Sellier had first introduced the character in his 1972 novel, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, loosely based on the real-life 19th century mountain man, James "Grizzly" Adams. The series was produced by Sunn Classic Pictures, a production company based in Park City, Utah, founded by Mel Hardman, which Sellier joined in 1974. The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams ran for two seasons, but was concluded in the 1982 television movie, The Capture of Grizzly Adams, in which Dan Haggerty reprised his role.
Additionally, Sellier wrote and produced more than 230 television shows and thirty feature films during his career. Eleven of Sellier's feature films are included in the top 100 highest-grossing independent films in history, with six of those films ranking in the top twenty-five.
Sellier produced numerous films and television shows, often with American pioneer or Christian themes aimed at family-friendly audiences. His production credits included In Search of Noah's Ark, In Search of Historic Jesus, Mark Twain's America, The Lincoln Conspiracy, The Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark and Breaking the Da Vinci Code. In 1980, Sellier was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the made-for-television movie, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which starred Jeff Goldblum as Ichabod Crane. Sellier was a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Writers Guild of America and National Religious Broadcasters Association.
Sellier was the CEO of Grizzly Adams Prods. at the time of death in 2011. The company marketed family-friendly and faith-based documentaries, films and television shows. At the time of his death, Sellier had been negotiating an agreement with Passmorelab of San Diego to convert films and television shows he produced to 3D for Blu-ray 3D DVDs and 3D television broadcasting, though said '3D conversions' never materialized.
Sellier died unexpectedly at his home in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on January 31, 2011, at the age of 67. During his first marriage to his working partner, Donna Sellier, the couple had two sons. Their elder son, Donald Sellier, predeceased Charles. He is survived by: their other son, William Sellier; by Julie Magnuson, Charles's second wife; and by Charles Edward Sellier III, his son with Julie.
Filmography
As producer
1973 The Brothers O'Toole (producer)
1974 The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (producer)
1976 Guardian of the Wilderness (producer)
1976 In Search of Noah's Ark (documentary) (producer)
1976 The Mysterious Monsters (documentary) (producer)
1976 The Amazing World of Psychic Phenomena (documentary) (producer)
1976 The Adventures of Frontier Fremont (producer)
1977 Incredible Rocky Mountain Race (TV movie) (executive producer)
1977 Last of the Mohicans (TV movie) (executive producer)
1977 The Lincoln Conspiracy (producer)
1977 The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (TV series) (executive producer)
1978 The Deerslayer (TV movie) (executive producer)
1978 The Time Machine (TV movie) (executive producer)
1978 Donner Pass: The Road to Survival (TV movie) (executive producer)
1978 Beyond and Back (documentary) (producer)
1979 The Fall of the House of Usher (executive producer)
1979 Beyond Death's Door (producer)
As director
1979 Encounter with Disaster (documentary)
1984 Silent Night, Deadly Night
1985 The Annihilators
1987 Snowballing
As writer
1976 Guardian of the Wilderness
1976 In Search of Noah's Ark (documentary) (book "In Search of Noah's Ark" / screenplay)
1976 The Adventures of Frontier Fremont (story)
1977 The Lincoln Conspiracy (book)
1977 The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (TV series)
The Trial (1977) (creator)
A Bear's Life (1977) (creator)
Survival (1977) (creator)
Hot Air Hero (1977) (creator)
Home of the Hawk (1977) (creator)
1979 In Search of Historic Jesus (documentary) (writer)
1979 Greatest Heroes of the Bible (TV series)
Abraham's Sacrifice (1979) (developer)
Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar (1979) (developer)
1980 Hangar 18 (book with Robert Weverka)
1982 The Capture of Grizzly Adams (TV movie) (book)
1992 Ancient Secrets of the Bible (TV documentary)
1992 Miracles and Other Wonders (TV docudramas; book 1994)
1993 Ancient Secrets of the Bible, Part II (TV documentary) (book / as Charles E. Sellier)
