About

Known credits:
70
Birthday:
1935-12-21
Place of birth:
Oak Park, Illinois, USA
Website:
N/A

John G. Avildsen

Overview

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), Neighbors (1981), The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), Lean on Me (1989) and 8 Seconds (1994).

Avildsen was the original director for both Serpico (1973) and Saturday Night Fever (1977), but was fired over disputes with producers Martin Bregman and Robert Stigwood, respectively.

Known for

Acting
2020 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic Actor Self (archive footage) 60
Fair
2017 Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
2017 Frank Serpico Actor Self (archive footage) 59
Average
2017 American Satan Actor Talk Show Host 63
Fair
2017 John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs Actor Self 59
Average
2015 The Real Miyagi Actor Self 59
Average
2014 Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films Actor Self - Director 62
Fair
2011 The Rocky Saga: Going the Distance Actor Self 59
Average
2006 Tribute To James Crabe Actor Himself N/A
N/A
2005 Make Your Own Damn Movie! Actor Himself 59
Average
2005 The Way of The Karate Kid Actor Self - Director / Academy Award Winner 59
Average
2002 Magic Time: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon Actor Self N/A
N/A
1997 Sports on the Silver Screen Actor Self (archive footage) N/A
N/A
1993 The Troma System Actor Himself N/A
N/A
1963 Greenwich Village Story Actor Alvie 59
Average

Directing
1999 Inferno Directing Director 59
Average
1994 8 Seconds Directing Director 61
Fair
1992 The Power of One Directing Director 62
Fair
1990 Rocky V Directing Director 58
Average
1989 The Karate Kid Part III Directing Director 58
Average
1989 Lean On Me Directing Director 64
Fair
1988 For Keeps Directing Director 60
Fair
1987 Happy New Year Directing Director 58
Average
1986 The Karate Kid Part II Directing Director 62
Fair
1984 The Karate Kid Directing Director 70
Good
1983 A Night in Heaven Directing Director 58
Average
1982 Traveling Hopefully Directing Director 58
Average
1981 Neighbors Directing Director 58
Average
1980 The Formula Directing Director 58
Average
1978 Slow Dancing In The Big City Directing Director 59
Average
1976 Rocky Directing Director 76
Good
1975 W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings Directing Director 59
Average
1975 Fore Play Directing Director 58
Average
1973 Save the Tiger Directing Director 59
Average
1972 The Stoolie Directing Director N/A
N/A
1971 Okay Bill Directing Director 58
Average
1971 Cry Uncle! Directing Director 58
Average
1971 Guess What We Learned in School Today? Directing Director 58
Average
1970 Joe Directing Director 59
Average
1969 Turn On to Love Directing Director 58
Average
1967 Hurry Sundown Directing Assistant Director 59
Average
1964 Smiles Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1971 Okay Bill Writing Writer 58
Average
1971 Guess What We Learned in School Today? Writing Story 58
Average

Production
2017 American Satan Production Executive Producer 63
Fair
1989 Lean On Me Production Executive Producer 64
Fair
1978 Slow Dancing In The Big City Production Producer 59
Average
1969 Out of It Production Associate Producer 58
Average
1965 Mickey One Production Executive Producer 58
Average
1964 Smiles Production Producer N/A
N/A

Camera
1978 Slow Dancing In The Big City Camera Camera Operator 59
Average
1971 Cry Uncle! Camera Director of Photography 58
Average
1971 Guess What We Learned in School Today? Camera Director of Photography 58
Average
1970 Joe Camera Director of Photography 59
Average
1969 Out of It Camera Director of Photography 58
Average

Crew
1972 The Stoolie Crew Cinematography N/A
N/A
1971 Okay Bill Crew Cinematography 58
Average
1971 Cry Uncle! Crew Additional Dialogue 58
Average

Editing
1992 The Power of One Editing Editor 62
Fair
1990 Rocky V Editing Editor 58
Average
1989 The Karate Kid Part III Editing Editor 58
Average
1989 Lean On Me Editing Editor 64
Fair
1988 For Keeps Editing Editor 60
Fair
1986 The Karate Kid Part II Editing Editor 62
Fair
1984 The Karate Kid Editing Editor 70
Good
1983 A Night in Heaven Editing Editor 58
Average
1978 Slow Dancing In The Big City Editing Editor 59
Average
1971 Okay Bill Editing Editor 58
Average
1971 Cry Uncle! Editing Editor 58
Average
1971 Guess What We Learned in School Today? Editing Editor 58
Average