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John G. Avildsen

John G. Avildsen

Director · Born 1935-12-21 · Oak Park, Illinois, USA

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Biography

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 son of Ivy (née Guilbert) and Clarence John Avildsen. He was educated at The Hotchkiss School and New York University. After starting out as an assistant director on films by Arthur Penn and Otto Preminger, John Avildsen received his first success with the low budget feature Joe (1970) which received critical acclaim for star Peter Boyle and moderate box office business. This was followed by another critical success, Save the Tiger (1973), that was nominated for three Oscars, winning Best Actor for star Jack Lemmon. Avildsen's greatest success was Rocky (1976), garnering ten Academy Award nominations and winning three, including Best Picture and Best Director. He later directed what was expected to be the series' final installment, Rocky V (1990). His other films include Cry Uncle! (1971),…

Directed

  1. Rocky (1976) — Director
  2. The Karate Kid (1984) — Director
  3. Rocky V (1990) — Director
  4. The Karate Kid Part II (1986) — Director
  5. The Karate Kid Part III (1989) — Director
  6. Inferno (1999) — Director
  7. Lean On Me (1989) — Director
  8. Neighbors (1981) — Director
  9. The Power of One (1992) — Director
  10. For Keeps (1988) — Director
  11. 8 Seconds (1994) — Director
  12. Save the Tiger (1973) — Director
  13. Joe (1970) — Director
  14. The Formula (1980) — Director
  15. A Night in Heaven (1983) — Director
  16. Cry Uncle! (1971) — Director
  17. W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975) — Director
  18. Happy New Year (1987) — Director
  19. Fore Play (1975) — Director
  20. Guess What We Learned in School Today? (1971) — Director
  21. Slow Dancing In The Big City (1978) — Director
  22. Traveling Hopefully (1982) — Director
  23. Turn On to Love (1969) — Director
  24. Okay Bill (1971) — Director
  25. The Stoolie (1972) — Director
  26. A Fine and Private Place — Director
  27. Smiles (1964) — Director
  28. Rocky Special: Burning Youth (1990) — Director

Also appeared in

  1. American Satan (2017) — Talk Show Host
  2. Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014) — Self - Director
  3. The Oscars (1953) — Self
  4. 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic (2020) — Self (archive footage)
  5. The Real Miyagi (2015) — Self
  6. Frank Serpico (2017) — Self (archive footage)
  7. The Rocky Saga: Going the Distance (2011) — Self
  8. John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs (2017) — Self
  9. Make Your Own Damn Movie! (2005) — Himself
  10. Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie (2017) — Self (archive footage)
  11. Sports on the Silver Screen (1997) — Self (archive footage)
  12. Greenwich Village Story (1963) — Alvie
  13. The Way of The Karate Kid (2005) — Self - Director / Academy Award Winner
  14. The Troma System (1993) — Self
  15. Magic Time: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon (2002) — Self
  16. Ammo for Shooting Clouds: John G. Avildsen Before Rocky (2022) — Himself
  17. Tribute To James Crabe (2006) — Himself