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David Naughton rose to fame in American entertainment during the 1970s and 1980s.
As a singer and actor, he starred in films like "An American Werewolf in London" and became the face of Dr Pepper's "Be a Pepper" advertising campaign.
He was one of the most recognizable cultural figures of his era.
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David Naughton shaped his acting career via two defining films in the early 1980s.
In Disney's "Midnight Madness" (1980), he played a college student racing through city streets and campus buildings in an all-night scavenger hunt.
In "An American Werewolf in London" (1981), Naughton transformed the werewolf genre through his raw portrayal of David Kessler.
He showed a man's physical and psychological unraveling—from his screams during the bone-cracking transformation sequences to his quiet moments of despair in a London flat.
David Naughton danced and sang in Dr Pepper commercials as its official spokesman from 1977 to 1981.
Wearing bell-bottoms and a bright smile, he performed choreographed routines while singing the "Be a Pepper" jingle on television screens across America.
He traveled to shopping malls and county fairs, where he signed autographs and performed the commercial's dance moves with fans.
His energetic performances turned him from an unknown actor into a familiar face for millions of Americans.
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In 1979, David Naughton played a high school teacher in ABC's "Makin' It," singing the show's disco theme song.
The single climbed to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1979, selling over a million copies.
Though ABC canceled the sitcom after nine episodes, Naughton's recording success led to appearances on American Bandstand and The Midnight Special.
The Naughton brothers both built successful acting careers.
David Naughton appeared in films as mentioned from above, while James Naughton won Tony Awards for his performances in "City of Angels" (1990) and "Chicago" (1997).
James focused primarily on theater and David on film and television roles.
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David Naughton appeared on "My Sister Sam" (1987), "MacGyver" (1989), "Melrose Place" (1992), "Murder, She Wrote" (1995), "JAG" (1997), and "Seinfeld" (1998).
In each show, he played distinct characters—such as a charming murder suspect on "Murder, She Wrote," a scheming businessman on "Melrose Place," and a hapless neighbor on "Seinfeld."
David Naughton voiced characters in two video games.
He played a graffiti artist in "Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure" (2005).
He then voiced Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic in "Marvel Ultimate Alliance" (2006).
David Naughton performed as an actor in the 1975-1976 production of "Hamlet" at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater.
He appeared in numerous performances during the show's run.
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