John Landis
Highest Rated: 100% King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen (2017)
Lowest Rated: 7% An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)
Birthday: Aug 3, 1950
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Though not nearly a household name like contemporary filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, writer-director-occasional actor John Landis became one of the more important Hollywood filmmakers to come into prominence in the late 1970s. Enormously successful and influential, particularly because of the first half of his career, Landis directed some of the seminal comedies of the century, including "The Kentucky Fried Movie" (1977) and the college favorite "National Lampoon's Animal House" (1978). Following the huge success of "Animal House," which spawned new generations of fans throughout the years, Landis scored another big hit with "The Blues Brothers" (1980), marking a high point in his career, which he followed with the cult classic "An American Werewolf in London" (1981). Accused of being responsible for an unspeakable tragedy following the deaths of three actors, including Vic Morrow, on the set of "The Twilight Zone - The Movie" (1983), Landis hit a career skid that saw few highlights - only "Trading Places" (1983) and "Coming to America" (1988) being worthy of any note. Though he directed Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (1983), widely considered to be the best music video ever made, and later Jackson's "Black or White" (1991), one of the most-watched videos of all time, Landis was unable to resuscitate his feature career, even when trying to recapture old magic with "Blues Brothers 2000" (1998). Still, Landis remained an influential filmmaker, if only because of past glories.
Photos
John Landis
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
92% |
|
Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster | Self | - | 2021 |
No Score Yet |
|
I Am Alfred Hitchcock | Self | - | 2021 |
91% |
|
Belushi | Self | - | 2020 |
22% |
|
I Hate Kids | Executive Producer | - | 2018 |
100% |
|
King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen | Self | - | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Frankenstein Complex | Unknown (Character) | - | 2015 |
77% |
|
Tales of Halloween | Jebediah Rex (Character) | - | 2015 |
80% |
|
Out of Print | Unknown (Character) | - | 2014 |
92% |
|
Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan | Unknown (Character) | - | 2011 |
78% |
|
Some Guy Who Kills People | Executive Producer | - | 2011 |
32% |
|
Burke & Hare | Director | $947 | 2010 |
88% |
|
Machete Maidens Unleashed! | Unknown (Character) | - | 2010 |
75% |
|
American Grindhouse | Unknown (Character) | $4.6K | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Man Who Saw Frankenstein Cry | Self | - | 2010 |
80% |
|
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project |
Unknown (Character), Director, Producer |
- | 2007 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Famous Monster: Forrest J. Ackerman | Self | - | 2007 |
14% |
|
Surviving Eden | Dr. Levine (Character) | - | 2004 |
67% |
|
Slasher | Director | - | 2004 |
67% |
|
American Nightmare | Self | - | 2000 |
36% |
|
Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby | Judge (Character) | - | 1999 |
26% |
|
Diamonds | Gambler (Character) | $81.9K | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Lost World | Executive Producer | - | 1999 |
46% |
|
Blues Brothers 2000 |
Director, Writer, Producer |
$14.0M | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
Susan's Plan |
Producer, Director, Writer |
- | 1998 |
7% |
|
An American Werewolf in Paris | Writer | $26.6M | 1997 |
21% |
|
The Stupids | Director | $2.4M | 1996 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas | Executive Producer | - | 1996 |
88% |
|
Smoke | Director | $8.3M | 1995 |
No Score Yet |
|
Here Come the Munsters | Executive Producer | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Legend of Dolemite! | Unknown (Character) | - | 1994 |
10% |
|
Beverly Hills Cop III | Director | $41.5M | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Body Chemistry II: The Voice of a Stranger | Dr. Edwards (Character) | - | 1992 |
29% |
|
Sleepwalkers | Lab Technician (Character) | $28.1M | 1992 |
36% |
|
Innocent Blood | Director | $4.2M | 1992 |
11% |
|
Oscar | Director | $23.5M | 1991 |
No Score Yet |
|
Spontaneous Combustion | Radio Technician (Character) | - | 1990 |
73% |
|
Coming to America | Director | $128.1M | 1988 |
65% |
|
Amazon Women on the Moon | Director | $388.2K | 1987 |
45% |
|
Three Amigos! | Director | $36.2M | 1986 |
40% |
|
Into the Night |
SAVAK (Character), Director |
- | 1985 |
72% |
|
Clue |
Writer, Executive Producer |
$13.4M | 1985 |
35% |
|
Spies Like Us | Director | $56.5M | 1985 |
60% |
|
Twilight Zone: The Movie |
Director, Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1983 |
89% |
|
Trading Places | Director | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet |
|
Thriller | Director | - | 1983 |
89% |
|
An American Werewolf in London |
Director, Writer |
- | 1981 |
72% |
|
The Blues Brothers |
Director, Writer |
- | 1980 |
91% |
|
National Lampoon's Animal House | Director | - | 1978 |
83% |
|
The Kentucky Fried Movie | Director | - | 1977 |
75% |
|
Schlock |
Schlock (Character), Director, Screenwriter |
- | 1973 |
36% |
|
Battle for the Planet of the Apes | Jake's friend (Character) | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Banana Monster |
Schlock (Character), Director |
- | 1971 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Spies A-Go-Go | Director | - | 1964 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 20/20 | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Face Off | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2017 |
61% | 84% | Franklin & Bash | Director | 2012 |
89% | 94% | Psych | Director | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fear Itself | Director | 2008 |
63% | 78% | Masters of Horror |
Director, Writer |
2005-2006 |
No Score Yet | 88% | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World | Executive Producer | 1999-2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Weird Science | Executive Producer | 1994-1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Caroline in the City | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1996 |
No Score Yet | 75% | Sliders | Executive Producer | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Six Million Dollar Man | Michael (Guest Star) | 1974 |