John Milius

Biography

John Frederick Milius is an American filmmaker. He was one of the writers for the first two Dirty Harry films, received an Academy Award nomination as screenwriter of Apocalypse Now, and wrote and directed The Wind and the Lion, Conan the Barbarian and Red Dawn. He wrote a number of iconic film lines such as "Charlie don't surf" and "I love the smell of napalm in the morning," from Apocalypse Now, and the famous Dirty Harry one-liners delivered by Clint Eastwood, including "Go ahead, make my day" and "Ask yourself one question, 'do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?". Milius also wrote the USS Indianapolis monologue in the film Jaws; the sequence performed by Robert Shaw. After his work on Rough Riders (1997), Milius became an instrumental force in lobbying Congress to award President Theodore Roosevelt the Medal of Honor (posthumously), for acts of conspicuous gallantry while in combat on San Juan Hill. Milius made two films featuring Roosevelt: The Wind and the Lion (where he was played by Brian Keith) and the made-for-TV film Rough Riders (where Tom Berenger took the role). The character of John Milner from the 1973 George Lucas film American Graffiti was inspired by Milius, …

Movies & TV Shows

1. Conan the Barbarian (1982) — Foodseller in Old City (uncredited)
2. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991) — Self
3. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003) — Self
4. Milius (2013) — Self
5. Riding Giants (2004) — John Milius
6. Crazy Mama (1975) — Cop (uncredited)
7. Frazetta: Painting with Fire (2003) — Self
8. Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' (2000) — Self
9. Dirty Harry: The Original (2001) — Self - Screenwriter
10. Jaws: The Inside Story (2010) — Self
11. Deadhead Miles (1972) — State Trooper
12. The Emperor (1967) — Self
13. Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic (2019) — Self - Filmmaker
14. A Legacy of Filmmakers: The Early Years of American Zoetrope (2004) — Self
15. The Making of '1941' (1996) — Self
16. Dino De Laurentiis: The Last Movie Mogul (2001) — Self
17. The Wages of Sin (2003) — Self - Filmmaker
18. Iron and Beyond (2002) — Self - Director
19. An Opera of Violence (2003) — Self - Filmmaker
20. Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' (2003) — Narrator (voice)
21. The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry (2008) — Self
22. The Evolution of Clint Eastwood (2008) — Self
23. Something to Do with Death (2003) — Self - Filmmaker
24. Hell Hath No Fury: The Making of The Outlaw Josey Wales (1999) — Narrator
25. In the Teeth of Jaws (1997) — Self
26. The Bridge on the River Kwai: An Appreciation by Filmmaker John Milius (2000) — Self
27. A Riddle of Steel: The Definitive History of Conan the Barbarian (2019) — Self (archive footage)
28. A Moral Right: The Politics of Dirty Harry (2008) — Self
29. The Business End: Violence in Cinema (2008) — Self
30. The Lion Roars Again (1975) — Self
31. The Craft of Dirty Harry (2008) — Self
32. A Turning of the Earth: John Ford, John Wayne and 'The Searchers' (1998) — Self (voice)
33. First Works (1989) — Self
34. Shotgun Freeway: Drives Through Lost L.A. (1995) — self
35. The Searchers: An Appreciation (2006) — Self
36. Hollywood Gangster (2008) — Self
37. Made in Hollywood: Die Welt des Raoul Walsh (2017) — Self
38. Mackendrick: The Man Who Walked Away (1986) — Self
39. Between the Lines: The True Story of Surfers and the Vietnam War (2008) — Narrator

Directed

1. Conan the Barbarian (1982) — Director
2. Red Dawn (1984) — Director
3. The Twilight Zone (1985) — Director
4. The Wind and the Lion (1975) — Director
5. Big Wednesday (1978) — Director
6. Flight of the Intruder (1991) — Director
7. Dillinger (1973) — Director
8. Farewell to the King (1989) — Director
9. Rough Riders (1997) — Director
10. Motorcycle Gang (1994) — Director
11. Rebel Highway (1994) — Director
12. Marcello, I'm Bored (1973) — Director
13. The Reversal of Richard Sun (1970) — Director