Joe Dante

Joe Dante
Joe Dante as member of the jury for the 2009 Venice Film Festival
Born	Joseph James Dante, Jr. (1946-11-28) November 28, 1946 (age 70) Morristown, New Jersey, US
Occupation	Director, producer, actor
Years active	1968–present

Joseph James "Joe" Dante, Jr. (/ˈdɑːnteɪ/; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably Gremlins (1984)—often mix fantastical storylines with comedic elements.

Dante's films also include Piranha (1978), The Howling (1981), Explorers (1985), Innerspace (1987), The 'Burbs (1989), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Matinee (1993), Small Soldiers (1998), and Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). His work for television and cable includes immigration satire The Second Civil War (1997) and episodes of anthology series Masters of Horror (Homecoming and The Screwfly Solution) and Amazing Stories, as well as Hawaii Five-0.

Dante was born in Morristown, New Jersey and grew up in nearby Livingston. His father, Joseph James Dante, was a professional golfer, though Dante was more interested in becoming a cartoonist. Dante began his film career working for legendary low budget producer Roger Corman, who provided similar opportunities to future directors Francis Ford Coppola and James Cameron. He made The Movie Orgy in 1968. He then worked as an editor on Grand Theft Auto after co-directing Hollywood Boulevard with Allan Arkush.