David Worth, director of ‘Kickboxer’ and cinematographer on ‘Any Which Way You Can,’ died at 86 on Sept. , leaving a career spanning DP work for Clint Eastwood and directing martial‑arts films.
David Worth died on September 4 in Sunland, California, at age 86. He is noted for directing the 1989 martial‑arts film “Kickboxer” and serving as director of photography on Clint Eastwood’s “Any Which Way You Can.”
Worth began his career as a director of photography on low‑budget movies before Eastwood hired him for “Bronco Billy” and “Any Which Way You Can,” both released in 1980. He later shot Jean‑Claude Van Damme’s “Bloodsport” and moved into directing with “Kickboxer.”
His directing credits include episodes of the television series “Air America” and feature films such as “Shark Attack 2,” “Shark Attack 3,” and other titles he photographed, including “China Cry: A True Story,” “Lady Dragon,” “American Tigers,” “Raptor Island,” “Man With the Screaming Brain,” and “Alien Apocalypse.”
Worth was also an author and teacher, earning a master’s degree in 2016 and publishing books on cinema and filmmaking. He is survived by his daughter Christina Myers, son David Wertheimer, a brother and two grandsons. Van Damme posted a tribute on Instagram, expressing sadness at Worth’s passing.