Bonnie Turner

Working closely with husband and creative partner Terry Turner since the mid-1970s, writer, producer and TV series creator Bonnie Turner has made a name for herself in the industry with extensive film and television comedy credits.

The pair began their career as a comedy writing team penning revue shows in Atlanta, Georgia in 1975. They subsequently did award-winning news writing and producing work for Turner Broadcasting, but returned to comedy in the mid-80s, landing writing jobs for the popular sketch comedy series "Saturday Night Live" in 1986 after former colleague and "SNL" cast member Jan Hooks introduced them to producer Lorne Michaels. The Turners' work helped keep the then-failing series afloat from 1986-1993, helping to bring life to such iconic characters as Mike Myers' Wayne Campbell, star of the Aurora cable access program "Wayne's World" and Dana Carvey's hyper-judgmental "Church Lady."

Continuing to work with her husband Terry, Turner began working in film in the late 1980s. "Funland" (1987), a comedy set at an amusement park, was the duo's first feature screenwriting credit, but the forgettable film did little to further their career. Their "SNL" work would pave the way for her next film entry, co-writing the screenplay for the feature adaptation of "Wayne's World" (1992) with Terry Turner and Mike Myers.

A surprising success, "Wayne's World" was the first and best of the "Saturday Night Live" spin-off movies. In the film, maverick and moronic TV host and producer Wayne (Myers) gets discovered and subsequently commercialized, moving from small time Illinois local broadcasting to the Hollywood big time. In addition to penning the screenplay for the similarly themed sequel "Wayne's World 2" (199), The Turners would use a comparable "fish out of water" plot in subsequent TV character-based features like "Coneheads" (1993) and "The Brady Bunch Movie" as well as the buddy film "Tommy Boy" (both 1995).

Continuing this successful formula, the two created the hit sitcom "3rd Rock From the Sun" (NBC, 1996-2001), following four guileless aliens inhabiting human bodies on Earth. A breakout hit, the zany "3rd Rock" showcased the talents of John Lithgow, Kristen Johnston, and French Stewart, and reunited the producers with "Coneheads" star Jane Curtin and supporting player Simbi Khali, late of ABC's "SHE TV" (1994), a short-lived sketch series created by the Turners. Following up the success of "3rd Rock From the Sun," the Turners looked backward for inspiration, and created the Fox sitcom "That '70s Show" (1998-2006), a teen ensemble comedy set in the titular decade.

Starring a cast of talented virtual unknowns, the genuinely funny and affectionate show became a surprise hit, and was noted for being one of the few series on television with fully developed teen and adult characters. Also for Fox, Turner co-created, executive produced and wrote "Normal, Ohio" (2000), a sitcom about an openly gay blue collar family man (John Goodman) from small town middle America.