William Fruet


William Fruet is a Canadian film and television director, playwright and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut with the drama Wedding in White, based on a play he had also written. The film won Best Picture at the Canadian Film Awards in 1973.
His later career included several horror films, including Death Weekend, Cries in the Night, and Killer Party, as well as television series, including Goosebumps and Poltergeist: The Legacy. Other writing credits include the influential Canadian film Goin' Down the Road, which he co-wrote with Donald Shebib.

Early life and education

Fruet was born in Lethbridge, Alberta, and graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1952. He worked for the CBC as an actor and photographer. He appeared Drylanders, the National Film Board’s first English-language feature film. Between 1962 and 1963, Fruet studied directing at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, and worked as an industrial filmmaker.

Career

Fruet began his filmmaking career in Canada after meeting fellow UCLA alumnus Donald Shebib at the CBC. He wrote the screenplay for Shebib's Goin' Down the Road, which was a critical and commercial success and is considered a landmark Canadian film. This film has been designated and preserved as a "masterwork" by the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada. His other screenwriting credits include Rip-Off and Slipstream.
His directorial debut was the 1972 film Wedding in White. Based on Fruet's play of the same name, the film stars Carol Kane as a teenager in rural Ontario during World War II, who is forced to marry her rapist after he impregnates her. The play and film was based on a real woman Fruet met in his youth, who had been forced to marry an older man by her parents in the same circumstances. The film received critical acclaim, and won Best Motion Picture at the 24th Canadian Film Awards.
Fruet's subsequent film directing credits include Death Weekend, Spasms, Search and Destroy, Killer Party, Cries in the Night and Bedroom Eyes. Several of his films have become cult classics among fans of the horror film genre.
His television credits include episodes of The Ray Bradbury Theatre, My Secret Identity, Diamonds, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Friday the 13th, War of the Worlds, Counterstrike, The Outer Limits, Goosebumps, Poltergeist: The Legacy, The Zack Files, Da Vinci's Inquest, Chasing Rainbows, Code Name: Eternity and Zoe Busiek: Wild Card. He co-created the television series Code Name: Eternity.

Filmography

Film
YearTitleNotes
1972Wedding in WhiteCanadian Film Award - Best Picture
1976Death WeekendAlso known as: The House by the Lake
1979Search and Destroy
1980Cries in the NightAlso known as: Funeral Home
1982TrappedAlso known as: Baker County, U.S.A
1983Spasms
1984Bedroom Eyes
1986Killer Party
1987Blue Monkey
2000Dear America: A Line in the SandShort film

TV series
YearTitleNotes
1979One of Our Own
1987–1990Friday's Curse10 episodes
1988Chasing Rainbows
1988Alfred Hitchcock PresentsEpisode: "If Looks Could Kill"
1988–1990War of the Worlds8 episodes
1990My Secret IdentityEpisode: "David's Dream"
1990–1993Top Cops4 episodes
1990–1993Counterstrike4 episodes
1995Mysterious Island4 episodes
1995The Outer LimitsEpisode: "Birthright"
1995–1996Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years 2 episodes
1995–1998Goosebumps27 episodes
1998Animorphs2 episodes
1998–2003Da Vinci's Inquest2 episodes
1997–1999Poltergeist: The Legacy6 episodes
2000Code Name: Eternity4 episodes
2000–2002The Zack Files10 episodes
2001–2002Tracker3 episodes

TV movies
  • Brothers by Choice
  • The Royal Diaries: Isabel - Jewel of Castilla
  • Imaginary Playmate
  • The Egg Factory
  • ''Matty Hanson and the Invisibility Ray''