File:John_G._Avildsen_(1986).png · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Film & TV
Oak Park, Illinois, USA
John Guilbert Avildsen (December 21, 1935 – June 16, 2017) was an American film director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director in 1977 for Rocky. Other films he directed include Joe, Save the Tiger, Fore Play, The Formula, Neighbors, For Keeps, Lean on Me, The Power of One, 8 Seconds, Inferno, Rocky V and the first three The Karate Kid films. Avildsen was born in Oak Park, Illinois, the…
Known for
- Ammo for Shooting Clouds: John G. Avildsen Before Rocky — Himself2022
- 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic — Self (archive footage)2020
- Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie — Self (archive footage)2017
- John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs — Self2017
- American Satan — Talk Show Host2017
- Frank Serpico — Self (archive footage)2017
- The Real Miyagi — Self2015
- Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films — Self - Director2014
- The Rocky Saga: Going the Distance — Self2011
- Tribute To James Crabe — Himself2006
via TMDB
Key facts
- Born
- John Guilbert Avildsen , ( 1935-12-21 ) December 21, 1935, Oak Park, Illinois , U.S.
- Died
- June 16, 2017 (2017-06-16) (aged 81), Los Angeles , California, U.S.
- Other name
- Johnny Avildsen
- Occupation
- Film director
- Years active
- 1969–1999
- Spouses
- Marie Olga Maturevich (Melissa McCall) Tracy Brooks Swope ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1987 ; separated</span>"}]]}'>sep. 2006 )
- Children
- 4, including Ash
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Gender
- male
- Citizenship
- United States
- Place of birth
- Oak Park
- Place of death
- Los Angeles
- Occupation
- director
- Languages spoken
- English language
- Notable work
- Rocky
- Image
- John G. Avildsen (1986).png
- Work location
- United States
Show 10 more facts
- date of birth
- 1935-12-21
- nominated for
- Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director
- date of death
- 2017-06-16
- cause of death
- pancreatic cancer
- name in native language
- John Guilbert Avildsen
- start of work period
- 1968-00-00
- pseudonym
- Danny Mulroon
- manner of death
- natural causes
- birth name
- John Guilbert Avildsen
- related category
- Category:Films directed by John G. Avildsen
Sources (11)
via Wikidata · CC0
~4 min read
Encyclopedic overview
John Guilbert Avildsen (December 21, 1935 – June 16, 2017) was an American film director. He is best known for directing Rocky (1976), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Director. He is also known for directing the first three films in The Karate Kid franchise (1984–1989). Other films he directed include Joe (1970), Save the Tiger (1973), The Formula (1980), Neighbors (1981), Lean on Me (1989), Rocky V (1990), 8 Seconds (1994), and Inferno (1999).
Early life
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “John G. Avildsen” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.