David J. Schow Biography

Most bios and autobios are insufferable (especially on the Internet), and DJS remains undecided as to whether to utilize this space for any of the following:

(a) The perpetuation of certain myths

(b) The deployment of carefully-chosen misdirection

(c) The artful dissemination of disinformation

(d) The pursuit of aggrandizement

(e) Excuses, excuses, excuses

(f) All of the above

Here, however, is what Kim Newman had to say in the most recent edition of the British Film Institute's Companion to Horror, a massive, comprehensive genre reference where you'll find DJS listed alongside entries for everything from "Santo" to "stalk-and-slash" -- another of those annoying terms Schow coined:

SCHOW, David J.

German-born American writer. At once inheritor of the Californian weird tradition of Richard Matheson and Dennis Etchison and leading light of splatterpunk movement, Schow's powerful, sometimes witty, sometimes strangely sentimental stories are collected in SEEING RED (1990), LOST ANGELS (1990), and BLACK LEATHER REQUIRED (1994). In addition to the novels THE KILL RIFF (1987) and THE SHAFT (1990), he is co-author with Jeffrey Frentzen of THE OUTER LIMITS: THE OFFICIAL COMPANION (1986) and editor of SILVER SCREAM (1988). As yet, his screen work has not approached his prose fiction in quality.

(includes partial filmography; the incorrect publication date attributed to THE KILL RIFF has been amended)
Or check out the entry by Gary Westfahl from The St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost and Gothic Writers (ed. David Pringle (St. James Press, 1998).
There's also a longish entry available in a big two-volume reference work titled Supernatural Fiction Writers, edited by Richard Blieiler (Scribner's, 2003).
Writing-wise, the formative period leading to Schow's first professional sales is covered in excruciating detail in the book WILD HAIRS.
For a blow-by-blow, consult the BIBLIOGRAPHY.
DJS lives in the Hollywood Hills in a fabulous house called Ravenseye, which was built in 1926 and formerly occupied by Linda Rondstat, which is scary enough, thanks.

DJS is often confused with Robert "Big Bob" Schow, but they're not the same guy. He is also too old to be Micah Schow, despite those who claim this is just another of his weird pseudonyms.
Don't like this bio? Not enough of the right info? Then try this one.
Or, imagine DJS managing a McDonald's in Canada, then linking back to himself, a total stranger...then click here
Nadja Schow! Jurgen Schow!
And ... Buy a truck from a Schow ... IF YOU DARE!
Check out Doktor Schow's Infertility Clinic!

THE OTHER GUY

My doppelganger, DAVID J. SKAL, has his own website up now so you may further distinguish that this DJS is not that DJS, and vice-versa, and that neither of them is "the other David J.," that guy from Bauhaus, although we all know each other and are sometimes seen in assorted combinations around the greater Los Angeles area.
Pictured to immediate right: The so-called "other DJS" (left) in one of his cunning disguises.

JDS / DJS

Despite obvious similarities, John David Scoleri is not another of Schow's elaborate and interwoven hit list of pseudonyms. David met John Scoleri in February, 1990, at a live broadcast of the San Francisco talk show People Are Talking, where the panel consisted of Schow, Clive Barker, Richard Christian Matheson, John Stanley, and Howard Berger of KNB EFX Group...so those guys are all witnesses to the fact that John actually exists as a separate human entity, despite the disconcerting truth that David's younger brother is also named -- you guessed it -- John. David and John kept in touch throughout the run of The Scream Factory Magazine (which John co-edited with Peter Enfantino) and his current labor of love, bare*bones. When John produced, of his own free will, an internet link to Schow's name that provided basic info, David decided he was a painstaking and dedicated enough fellow to administer the official website, and with the kind assistance of Gothic.net's Darren McKeeman, here you are, reading this.
In 2003, Chad Savage (see below) took over design and hosting for the main BLR site; John still maintains the many ancilliary sites that BLR has spawned.
If John receives enough intelligent questions, he may even do a DJS FAQ.
You can send John email via this link or his email link in the sidebar. You might also check out his home page, The Last Site on Earth, where BLR was born.

Dave in the Grave -- actually the cutaway cemetery from THE FRIGHTENERS. This photo appeared as the column header on the final installment of "Raving & Drooling." (Photo by Peter Jackson.)

ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS...

The Magnificent Seven (standing, left to right) Jonathan Hensleigh, George Romero, Stephen King, Frank Darabont, Greg Nicotero, (kneeling) Mick Garris, DJS. (Photo courtesy Gregory J. Nicotero).

DJS and Turdo, a.k.a. the "Box Demon" from the "Don't Open Till Doomsday" episode of THE OUTER LIMITS. Formerly owned by Forrest J Ackerman, Turdo now resides in the collection of Kevin Davies.

Chiller Theatre's premier Monster-Fighting Dog, Max, poses with two of his biggest fans, K9 trainer Roland Pena (L) and DJS, at the 2003 Hallowe'en show.  Roland and his lovely wife Jocelyn run Friendly Force .  Get 'em get 'em! (Photo by Jocelyn Pena.) 

 

The one and only original Splat Pack, 17 April 2004 - about 15 years after they "ruined horror" for everybody. (L-R): Spector, Matheson, Skipp, and DJS (who can't seem to keep things out of his mouth). Photo by Mandy Slater; photo courtesy of Stephen Jones & Mandy Slater. 

Two of these men are JDS and DJS. Two are not.

[LEFT] JDS and an unknown accomplice, during a recent excursion to Mexico in search of Mexican monster movies on video. While he lives happily in a house full of grande eskeletos, the search for the ultimate Mexican video store continues. (Photo by Vonna Gissler)

[RIGHT] DJS and Brandon Lee, during filming of the church shootout for THE CROW. DJS is wearing Brandon's actual wardrobe for second-unit bluescreen tests. (Photo by Andrew Mason. Photo Copyright © David J. Schow, 1993. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.)