Alan Louis Skinner

Known for his sharp wit, deep curiosity about the world, and an unfiltered, spontaneous nature, producer and entrepreneur Alan Louis Skinner was a man of many passions... Dark Shadows, drag queens, karaoke, the forgotten queer histories of Los Angeles and the spookier side of Disney, among them.

Alan was born on May 16, 1961 in Quantico, VA to Sharon Skinner Gordon and James Lee Skinner. He graduated from Prospect High School in San Jose and earned his degree from UCLA, where he was a drama major.

After a childhood filled with many moves to new cities, Alan made Los Angeles his permanent home. While still a student, he began modeling and landed a recurring role on Days Of Our Lives. Following a series of "on camera" jobs, he built a highly successful career behind the scenes.

Throughout the 1990s, Alan served as Senior Vice President, Creative Services at Another Large Production. There he conceptualized and oversaw the production of hundreds of EPKs, promotional spots, and behind-the-scenes features for TV shows including Highlander, Wheel of Fortune, Hollywood Squares, Vicki!, Real Stories of the Highway Patrol, and VIP.

As a freelance producer, he created and produced B-TV, a pilot for a proposed series celebrating his love of old monster movies. Talented friends Randy West, Laurie McIntosh and Linda Hill co-starred alongside Alan, and Gary Owens served as the announcer.

In 2005, Alan produced and edited the acclaimed feature documentary film, Pick Up The Mic, with his close friend, Alex Hinton. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, chronicled the emerging world of queer hip hop.

Concurrent with his production work, Alan and Eric October acquired and ran Creature Features, a store in Burbank devoted to their shared love of the sci-fi genre. The shop was known as the definitive destination for props, models and other memorabilia, as well as home to many notable industry events and signings.

Alan threw himself into projects fully, whether they were work, hobby, or just passing fancy. Alan was always "all in." He learned magic and became a proud member of The Magic Castle. A Facebook fan page devoted to an entirely fabricated collection of "lost" Columbo episodes, complete with photos and episodes synopses, is but one priceless artifact he leaves behind.

Alan is preceded in death by his father, James Lee Skinner. He is survived by his mother, Sharon Skinner Gordon of Volcano, brother David Skinner of Volcano, sister Linda Wood of Yuba City, nephew James Wood of Gridley, CA, nieces Jennifer Wood of Yuba City, CA, and Terilyn Schutz of Alamogordo, NM, and many cherished friends.

A celebration of Alan's life will be held on Halloween day, October 31, 2023, at 1 PM at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Alan's honor to the Los Angeles LGBT Center or Outfest.