Grew up in the Wynnefield section of Philly, went to Gompers and Beeber, and played the trumpet in school orchestras.
On the DVD commentary for The Hidden (1987) he admitted that he had problems working with actor Michael Nouri.
Couldn't direct the pool house scene in A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) without laughing and had to pass the job on to an assistant.