John G. Avildsen

Other films he directed include Joe (1970), Save the Tiger (1973), The Formula (1980), Neighbors (1981), Lean on Me (1989), Rocky V (1990), 8 Seconds (1994), and Inferno (1999).

• Name — John G. Avildsen • Birth Name — John Guilbert Avildsen • Born — 21 December 1935 • Birthplace — Oak Park, Illinois, U.S. • Died — 16 June 2017 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Other Names — Johnny Avildsen • Occupation — Film director • Years Active — 1969–1999 • Spouse — * Marie Olga Maturevich (Melissa McCall) • Children — 4, including Ash

John G. Avildsen was born in Oak Park, Illinois, the son of Ivy (née Guilbert) and Clarence John Avildsen. He was educated at Indian Mountain School, the Hotchkiss School and at New York University.

After starting out as an assistant director on films by Arthur Penn and Otto Preminger and acting as director of photography on the 1969 film, Out of It, Avildsen's early low-budget feature Joe (1970) received good notices for star Peter Boyle and was a big box-office hit grossing nearly $20 million on a $100,000 budget. Avildsen followed this early success with the low-budget 1971 cult classic comedy film Cry Uncle! (released in the UK as Superdick and on video as American Oddballs), a 1971 American film in the Troma Entertainment library that stars Allen Garfield. This was followed by Save the Tiger (1973), a film nominated for three Academy Awards, winning Best Actor for star Jack Lemmon at the 55th Academy Awards. Avildsen's greatest success came with Rocky (1976), which he directed working in conjunction with writer and star Sylvester Stallone. The film was a major critical and commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1976 and garnering ten Academy Award nominations and winning three, including Best Picture and Best Director for Avildsen at the 49th Academy Awards. He later returned to direct what was then expected to be the series' final installment, Rocky V (1990). Avildsen directed the mystery-drama The Formula (1980), starring Marlon Brando and George C. Scott, for which he was nominated for Razzie Award for Worst Director at the 1st Golden Raspberry Awards. Avildsen's other films include Neighbors (1981), For Keeps (1988), Lean on Me (1989), The Power of One (1992), 8 Seconds (1994), and the first three The Karate Kid films. Avildsen was the original director for both Serpico (1973) and Saturday Night Fever (1977), but was fired over disputes with, respectively, producers Martin Bregman and Robert Stigwood. Although his job directing Serpico was terminated, Avildsen became long time friends with the film's real life subject Frank Serpico, even sharing a property with him on Long Island, New York during the early 1980s. His last film was Inferno (1999), starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. A documentary on the life, career and films of Avildsen was released in August 2017, approximately two months after his death. John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs (2017), directed and produced by Derek Wayne Johnson, features interviews with Sylvester Stallone, Ralph Macchio, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Martin Scorsese, Jerry Weintraub, and Burt Reynolds, among others. The documentary is a companion to the book The Films of John G. Avildsen: Rocky, The Karate Kid, and other Underdogs, written by Larry Powell and Tom Garrett. In the 2026 movie I Play Rocky directed by Peter Farrelly, which is about the development process of Rocky, Avildsen is played by Jay Duplass.

Avildsen's first wife was Marie Olga Maturevich (Melissa McCall); they had two children, Anthony and Jonathan, before divorcing. Jonathan Avildsen appeared in the films The Karate Kid Part III, Inferno and Rocky V. Avildsen had a son with Myroslawa Prystay: Ash Avildsen (born November 5, 1981), who founded Sumerian Records. Ash later became estranged from his father; he has a son, Izzy Avildsen. Avildsen married actress Tracy Brooks Swope in 1987; they separated in 2006. They had a daughter, Bridget.

John Avildsen died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on June 16, 2017. He was 81. The cause of his death was pancreatic cancer, according to his son Anthony Avildsen.

• Year — Film — Notes • 1969 — Turn On to Love • 1970 — Guess What We Learned in School Today? • Joe — Also cinematographer • 1971 — Cry Uncle! • 1971 — Okay Bill • 1972 — The Stoolie • 1973 — Save the Tiger • 1975 — Fore Play • W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings • 1976 — Rocky — Academy Award for Best Director Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Director Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Direction • 1978 — Slow Dancing in the Big City • 1980 — The Formula — Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Director • 1981 — Neighbors • 1982 — Traveling Hopefully — Nominated—Academy Award for Best Documentary, Short Subject • 1983 — A Night in Heaven • 1984 — The Karate Kid • 1986 — The Karate Kid Part II • 1987 — Happy New Year • 1988 — For Keeps • 1989 — Lean on Me • The Karate Kid Part III — Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Director • 1990 — Rocky V • 1992 — The Power of One • 1994 — 8 Seconds • 1999 — Inferno — Final film

Avildsen was recorded at birth as John Guilbert Avildsen. He also worked under the name Danny Mulroon. The authorities additionally record the headings John Avildsen and Danny Mulroon. His recorded language was English. He married Tracy Brooks Swope. One child is recorded: Jonathan Avildsen.