Spheeris, Penelope (1945–)

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Spheeris, Penelope (1945–)

American film director. Name variations: P. Spheeris. Born Dec 2, 1945, in New Orleans, Louisiana; University of California at Los Angeles, BA; children: (with Robert Schoeller) Anna.

Had great success with 1st major project as director, writer and producer, The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), a punk-rock documentary, followed by sequels Decline of Western Civilization Part II, The Metal Years (1988) and Part III (1998); changed career course with blockbuster screwball comedy, Wayne's World (1992); other films include The Boys Next Door (1986), Dudes (1987), Thunder and Mud (1990), The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), The Little Rascals (1994), Black Sheep (1996), Senseless (1998), The Thing in Bob's Garage (1998), Hollywierd (1999), We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n Roll (2001) and Posers (2001).