William Wisher, Co-Writer of 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day,' Dies at 71
The longtime James Cameron collaborator and screenwriter of 'The Terminator' and 'Judge Dredd' has passed away.
“William believed that stories have the power to connect people across generations,”
William Wisher, the co-writer of the iconic film Terminator 2: Judgment Day, has died at the age of 71. According to TheWrap, he passed away at his home on July 14.
Wisher’s death was confirmed to the outlet by his brother, John. In a statement, the family remembered him as a kind and imaginative man. “William believed that stories have the power to connect people across generations,” they wrote.
Who was William Wisher?
Wisher was a boyhood friend of director James Cameron. Their shared love of science fiction led Cameron to recruit him to help develop the concept for The Terminator in the early 1980s. Wisher drafted scenes for the film, which Cameron would transcribe over the phone, and he even made a cameo as an LAPD officer.
He later received a co-screenwriting credit for the landmark sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Wisher recalled the creative risk of turning Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 into a hero. “That was a daunting decision at the time,” he said in the biography The Futurist.
What other films did he write?
Following the success of T2, Wisher built a screenwriting career through the 1990s and 2000s. He was also an executive producer on Live Free or Die Hard (2007).
Born on May 23, 1955, Wisher began his career as an actor, starring in Cameron’s 1978 short film Xenogenesis. He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Deborah, and his siblings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did William Wisher and James Cameron meet?
William Wisher and James Cameron were boyhood friends. They bonded over their shared love of science fiction, which later formed the foundation of their professional collaboration on The Terminator.
Did William Wisher appear in any of the Terminator films?
Yes, he made cameo appearances in both films. In the original The Terminator, he played an LAPD officer attacked by the T-800. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, he played a tourist who photographs the T-800 after it crashes through a window.
What was William Wisher's role in 'The Terminator'?
While James Cameron is credited as the sole writer, Wisher was a key collaborator in the film's development. He wrote treatments for scenes set in the police department and early sequences following Sarah Connor, with Cameron transcribing his drafts over the phone.
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