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John G. Avildsen

Highest Rated: 93% Rocky (1976)

Lowest Rated: 0% Desert Heat (1999)

Birthday: Dec 21, 1935

Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois, USA

Few directors experienced career highs and lows like filmmaker John G. Avildsen, whose résumé included two of the most popular films ever made - 1976's "Rocky" and 1984's "The Karate Kid" - as well as his share of critical misfires and box office failures. A former advertising manager, he entered film through the independent route in the early 1960s before making his first big splash with 1970's controversial "Joe." Subsequent efforts stumbled until he took on "Save the Tiger" (1973), a bleak look at the collapse of a businessman's life and self-esteem. Its Oscar win for star Jack Lemmon brought Avildsen to the attention of Hollywood, but it took the low-budget boxing drama "Rocky" to earn him an Oscar and industry respect. Unfortunately, he found it difficult to find worthy material in its wake; his few subsequent hits were cast in the mold of the Sylvester Stallone film, including his second major box office success, "The Karate Kid." However, the enduring popularity of both movies preserved Avildsen in the history books as a director with a unique skill for inspiring audiences through the triumphs of his underdog characters. John G. Avildsen died of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles on June 16, 2017. He was 81.

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Highest-Rated Movies

93% 69% Rocky Watchlist 88% 74% Save the Tiger Watchlist 83% 63% Joe Watchlist 81% 83% The Karate Kid Watchlist 78% 78% American Satan Watchlist 71% 51% Mickey One Watchlist 71% 85% Lean on Me Watchlist 57% 50% Neighbors Watchlist 49% 52% The Karate Kid Part II Watchlist 36% 94% 8 Seconds Watchlist
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John G. Avildsen

John G. Avildsen ROCKY, director John G. Avildsen, Sylvester Stallone on set, 1976 LEAN ON ME, director John Avildsen, on-set, 1989, ©Warner Bros. / THE FORMULA, director John Avildsen, on-set, 1980, ©MGM / NEIGHBORS, Dan Aykroyd, director John G. Avildsen, on set, 1981. ©Columbia Pictures FOR KEEPS?, director John G. Avildsen, 1988. (c)TriStar Pictures JOHN G. AVILDSEN: KING OF THE UNDERDOGS, JOHN G. AVILDSEN, 2017. ©CHASSY MEDIA JOHN G. AVILDSEN: KING OF THE UNDERDOGS, JOHN G. AVILDSEN, 2017. ©CHASSY MEDIA View more photos

Filmography

Movies TV Shows
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The Margarita Man 57% 2019 Executive Producer American Satan 78% 78% 2017 Executive Producer Desert Heat 0% 36% 1999 Director Coyote Moon 1999 Director 8 Seconds 36% 94% 1994 Director The Power of One 35% 87% 1992 Director, Film Editing The Power of One 1992 Director Rocky V 32% 31% 1990 Director, Film Editor The Karate Kid Part III 18% 35% 1989 Director, Film Editing Lean on Me 71% 85% 1989 Director For Keeps 17% 71% 1988 Director Happy New Year 22% 1987 Director The Karate Kid Part II 49% 52% 1986 Director, Film Editor The Karate Kid 81% 83% 1984 Director, Film Editing A Night in Heaven 31% 1983 Director, Film Editing Neighbors 57% 50% 1981 Director The Formula 20% 23% 1980 Director Slow Dancing in the Big City 1978 Director, Producer, Film Editing Rocky 93% 69% 1976 Director Foreplay 1975 Director W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings 35% 1975 Director Save the Tiger 88% 74% 1973 Director The Stoolie 1972 Director Cry Uncle 64% 1971 Director Okay Bill 1971 Director, Screenwriter
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