Director
John G. Avildsen
90 years · Oak Park, Illinois, USA · 39 films
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.
Best known for
Filmography 39
Ammo for Shooting Clouds: John G. Avildsen Before Rocky
2022 · Himself
40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic
2020 · Self (archive footage)
On Hoopla
Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie
2017 · Self (archive footage)
Frank Serpico
2017 · Self (archive footage)
On AMC+
American Satan
2017 · Talk Show Host
On Fandor
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs
2017 · Self
The Real Miyagi
2015 · Self
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
2014 · Self - Director
The Rocky Saga: Going the Distance
2011 · Self
Magic Time: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon
2002 · Self
Inferno
1999 · Director
On Fawesome
Sports on the Silver Screen
1997 · Self (archive footage)
8 Seconds
1994 · Director
On Hoopla
The Troma System
1993 · Self
The Power of One
1992 · Director, Editor
On Plex
Rocky V
1990 · Director, Editor
On Amazon Prime Video
The Karate Kid Part III
1989 · Director, Editor
On Netflix
Lean On Me
1989 · Director, Editor
For Keeps
1988 · Director, Editor
On YouTube Free
Happy New Year
1987 · Director
The Karate Kid Part II
1986 · Director, Editor
On Netflix
The Karate Kid
1984 · Director, Editor
On Netflix
A Night in Heaven
1983 · Director, Editor
Traveling Hopefully
1982 · Director, Producer