John Guilbert Avildsen Wiki Biography
John Guilbert Avildsen (born December 21, 1935) is 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 Karate Kid movies.
| Net Worth | $20 Million |
| Date Of Birth | December 21, 1935 |
| Place Of Birth | Oak Park, Illinois, United States |
| Profession | Director, Editor, Cinematographer |
| IMDB | http://imdb.com/name/nm4512014 |
| Trademark | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Underdog films complete with realistic character development and montage sequences |
| Quote | |
|---|---|
| 1 | My dream was to have my own advertising agency by the time I was 30, and that was before I got into movies. |
| 2 | I thought boxing was stupid. |
| 3 | When I read ‘Rocky V,’ it was a terrific story, a great script. Rocky died at the end. He has this devastating fight with Tommy Gunn, ends up in an ambulance with his head in Adrian’s lap, and by the time they get to the hospital, he’s dead. |
| Fact | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lives in Beverly Hills, California |
| 2 | His first wife also acted under the name ‘Melissa McCall’. |
| 3 | Father of actors Jonathan Avildsen and Anthony G. Avildsen, both of whom have appeared in several of his movies and also worked for him as production assistants. |
| 4 | Declined to direct Rocky II (1979). |
| 5 | Was going to direct Serpico (1973), but was replaced just before filming due to differences with the producer. |
| 6 | Directed seven actors to Oscar nominations: Jack Lemmon, Jack Gilford, Burgess Meredith, Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Pat Morita and Burt Young. Lemmon won Best Actor prizes for Save the Tiger (1973). |
| 7 | His son Ashley Avildsen is the creator and owner of the metal label Sumerian Records. He has no relationship with his son nor has he ever attempted to make contact. |
| 8 | Ex-son-in-law of Herbert B. Swope Jr. and Margaret Hayes. |
| 9 | He was the original director of Saturday Night Fever (1977) but pulled out. He was replaced by John Badham. |
| 10 | Has a daughter named Bridget Avildsen (b. 2 October 1993) with his ex-wife, Tracy Brooks Swope. |
Director
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Let Love Last | 2014 | Short | |
| Desert Heat | 1999/II | as Danny Mulroon, director’s cut | |
| A Fine and Private Place | 1998 | ||
| 8 Seconds | 1994 | ||
| The Power of One | 1992 | ||
| Rocky V | 1990 | ||
| The Karate Kid Part III | 1989 | ||
| Lean on Me | 1989 | ||
| For Keeps? | 1988 | ||
| Happy New Year | 1987 | ||
| The Karate Kid Part II | 1986 | ||
| The Karate Kid | 1984 | ||
| A Night in Heaven | 1983 | ||
| Traveling Hopefully | 1982 | Documentary | |
| Neighbors | 1981 | ||
| Murder Ink | 1980 | TV Series | |
| The Formula | 1980 | ||
| Slow Dancing in the Big City | 1978 | ||
| Rocky | 1976 | ||
| W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings | 1975 | ||
| Foreplay | 1975 | segment “Inaugural Ball” | |
| Save the Tiger | 1973 | ||
| The Stoolie | 1972 | co-director | |
| Okay Bill | 1971 | ||
| Cry Uncle | 1971 | ||
| Joe | 1970 | ||
| Guess What We Learned in School Today? | 1970 | ||
| Turn on to Love | 1969 | ||
| Light Sound Diffused | 1965 | Documentary short |
Editor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Power of One | 1992 | ||
| Rocky V | 1990 | ||
| The Karate Kid Part III | 1989 | ||
| Lean on Me | 1989 | ||
| For Keeps? | 1988 | ||
| The Karate Kid Part II | 1986 | ||
| The Karate Kid | 1984 | ||
| A Night in Heaven | 1983 | ||
| Slow Dancing in the Big City | 1978 | ||
| Okay Bill | 1971 | ||
| Cry Uncle | 1971 | ||
| Guess What We Learned in School Today? | 1970 | ||
| Turn on to Love | 1969 | ||
| Light Sound Diffused | 1965 | Documentary short |
Producer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Margarita Man | executive producer post-production | ||
| American Satan | 2017 | executive producer | |
| Dancing Into the Future | 2007 | Video documentary producer | |
| Lean on Me | 1989 | executive producer | |
| Slow Dancing in the Big City | 1978 | producer | |
| Out of It | 1969 | associate producer | |
| Mickey One | 1965 | executive producer | |
| Light Sound Diffused | 1965 | Documentary short producer |
Cinematographer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Stoolie | 1972 | ||
| Okay Bill | 1971 | ||
| Cry Uncle | 1971 | director of photography | |
| Joe | 1970 | photographed by | |
| Guess What We Learned in School Today? | 1970 | ||
| Turn on to Love | 1969 | ||
| Out of It | 1969 | director of photography | |
| Light Sound Diffused | 1965 | Documentary short |
Writer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okay Bill | 1971 | ||
| Cry Uncle | 1971 | additional dialogue | |
| Guess What We Learned in School Today? | 1970 | based on a story by |
Camera Department
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slow Dancing in the Big City | 1978 | camera operator | |
| Foreplay | 1975 | editor camera operator | |
| The Stoolie | 1972 | camera operator |
Miscellaneous
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refuge | 2017/IV | technical advisor | |
| Black Like Me | 1964 | assistant to director – as John Avildsen | |
| Greenwich Village Story | 1963 | production assistant |
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Satan | 2017 | Talk Show Host | |
| Greenwich Village Story | 1963 | Alvie (as John Avildsen) |
Assistant Director
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurry Sundown | 1967 | assistant director – as John Avildsen | |
| Greenwich Village Story | 1963 | assistant director |
Editorial Department
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neighbors | 1981 | supervising editor |
Thanks
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Margarita Man | in memory of post-production | ||
| John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs | 2017 | Documentary in memory of | |
| Auer | 2017 | Short special thanks | |
| The Real Miyagi | 2015 | Documentary special thanks | |
| Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films | 2014 | Documentary our deepest appreciation | |
| Family on Board | 2014 | Short very special thanks | |
| Biography: Morgan Freeman | 2010 | TV Movie special thanks – as John Avildsen | |
| The Way of the Karate Kid | 2005 | Video documentary short special thanks |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Troma System | 1993 | Short | Himself |
| The 49th Annual Academy Awards | 1977 | TV Special | Himself – Winner: Best Director |
| John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs | 2017 | Documentary | Himself |
| The Real Miyagi | 2015 | Documentary | Himself |
| Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films | 2014 | Documentary | Himself |
| Boxing at the Movies: Kings of the Ring | 2013 | TV Movie documentary | Himself – Director, Rocky (as John G Avildsen) |
| Too Young to Die | 2012 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Biography | 2005-2011 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| The Rocky Saga: Going the Distance | 2011 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| Mr. Firth Goes to Washington | 2008 | Documentary | Himself – Interviewee |
| In the Ring | 2006 | Video documentary | Himself (as John Avildsen) |
| The Rise of Two Legends | 2006 | Video short | Himself |
| Tribute to James Crabe | 2006 | Video documentary short | Himself (as John Avildsen) |
| Make Your Own Damn Movie! | 2005 | Video documentary | Himself – Director |
| The Way of the Karate Kid | 2005 | Video documentary short | Himself – Director / Academy Award Winner |
| Super Secret Movie Rules | 2004 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| A Decade Under the Influence | 2003 | Documentary | Himself |
| Magic Time: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon | 2002 | Video documentary short | Himself (as John Avildsen) |
Archive Footage
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic | 2017 | Documentary filming | |
| Sports on the Silver Screen | 1997 | TV Movie documentary | Himself – Academy Award Ceremony (uncredited) |
Won Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Blue Ribbon Award | Blue Ribbon Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Rocky (1976) |
| 1978 | Kinema Junpo Award | Kinema Junpo Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Rocky (1976) |
| 1978 | Readers’ Choice Award | Kinema Junpo Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Rocky (1976) |
| 1977 | Oscar | Academy Awards, USA | Best Director | Rocky (1976) |
| 1977 | DGA Award | Directors Guild of America, USA | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Rocky (1976) |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Razzie Award | Razzie Awards | Worst Director | Rocky V (1990) |
| 1990 | Razzie Award | Razzie Awards | Worst Director | The Karate Kid, Part III (1989) |
| 1983 | Oscar | Academy Awards, USA | Best Documentary, Short Subjects | Traveling Hopefully (1982) |
| 1981 | Razzie Award | Razzie Awards | Worst Director | The Formula (1980) |
| 1978 | BAFTA Film Award | BAFTA Awards | Best Direction | Rocky (1976) |
| 1977 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best Director – Motion Picture | Rocky (1976) |