81
Age
16
Movies
1
TV Shows
7.1
Rating
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.
81
Died at
16
Movies
1
TV Shows
7.1
Avg Rating
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.
2017
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.
Gender
Male
Birthday
December 21, 1935
Died
June 16, 2017
Birthplace
Oak Park, Illinois, USA
Greenwich Village Story
1963
American Satan
2017
Tribute To James Crabe
2006
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
2014
Ammo for Shooting Clouds: John G. Avildsen Before Rocky
2022
Make Your Own Damn Movie!
2005
Frank Serpico
2017
40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic
2020
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs
2017
The Real Miyagi
2015
The Rocky Saga: Going the Distance
2011
Sports on the Silver Screen
1997
Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie
2017
The Way of The Karate Kid
2005
The Troma System
1993
Magic Time: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon
2002