John Avildsen
| John G. Avildsen | |
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John G Avildsen
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| Born |
John Guilbert Avildsen December 21, 1935 Oak Park, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | June 16, 2017 (aged 81) West Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Pancreatic cancer |
| Other names | Johnny Avildsen |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1969–2017 |
| Notable work | |
| Spouse(s) | Marie Olga Maturevich (Melissa McCall) (? - ?) Tracy Brooks Swope (1987 - 2003, divorce) |
| Children | 3 sons 1 daughter |
| Parent(s) | Ivy (née Guilbert) and Clarence John Avildsen |
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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 (1970), Save the Tiger (1973), Fore Play (1975), The Formula (1980), Neighbors (1981), For Keeps (1988), Lean on Me (1989), Rocky V (1990), The Power of One (1992), 8 Seconds (1994), Inferno (1999) 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.
Avildsen's first wife was Marie Olga Maturevich (Melissa McCall). After they divorced, he married actress Tracy Brooks Swope in 1987; they divorced in 2003. He had four children. His estranged son Ash (born November 5, 1981), founded Sumerian Records. Another son, Jonathan Avildsen, appeared in the films The Karate Kid Part III and Rocky V. His eldest son was named Anthony and he had a daughter, Bridget.
Avildsen is the well-known director in the 1970s. 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.
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