Mark Jones, ‘Leprechaun’ and ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ Writer-Director, Dies at 72

Mark Jones, the writer-director who created the “Leprechaun” film franchise following a decades-long career in TV and animation, has died after a brief hospital stay. He was 72.

Jones died Friday at West Hills Hospital in Los Angeles, his publicist confirmed to TheWrap.

Jones moved fluidly between animation, network television and independent feature films over several eras. He wrote and directed the 1993 cult hit “Leprechaun,” starring Jennifer Aniston in one of her earliest film roles. The movie launched a long-running horror-comedy franchise that spawned six sequels and a later reboot.

Jones began his career writing for Saturday morning cartoons, selling his first script to Filmation Studios before working for DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, where he wrote for “Mister Magoo” and “The Pink Panther.” He later joined Hanna-Barbera, serving as a writer and story editor on series including “Super Friends” and “Scooby-Doo.”

At Ruby-Spears Productions, Jones wrote the pilot for the studio’s first animated series, “Fangface.” He later transitioned into prime-time live-action TV under producer Glen A. Larson, writing and editing shows such as “B.J. and the Bear,” “Sheriff Lobo” and “The Fall Guy.”

Stephen J. Cannell subsequently brought Jones onto his creative staff, where he wrote and story-edited episodes of “The A-Team.” Jones also developed live-action series, produced episodes of “Knight Rider,” and served as showrunner for the syndicated series “Superboy.”

Following the success of “Leprechaun,” Jones continued directing and writing feature films, including “Rumpelstiltskin” for producer Dino De Laurentiis, “Trilogy of Terror II” segment “Triloquist” through the Weinstein Company, and the thriller “Scorned” for Anchor Bay Entertainment.

In recent years, Jones appeared as a regular contributor on “The Scott Baio Podcast.”

The post Mark Jones, ‘Leprechaun’ and ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ Writer-Director, Dies at 72 appeared first on TheWrap.