John McNaughton
John McNaughton is an American film and television director, best known for directing the controversial Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) and Wild Things (1998). His works encompass a wide array of genres such as horror, thriller, drama and comedy. Other directorial credits include The Borrower (1991), Mad Dog and Glory (1993), and Normal Life (1996).
John McNaughton
- Name
- John McNaughton
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Occupation
- Film director, television director
- Born
- 1950 · Chicago.
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- Columbia College Chicago
- Honours
- Sitges Film Festival Best Director award
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for John McNaughton. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q522382 · wikipedia · John McNaughton
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — John McNaughton • Birthplace — Chicago, Illinois, U.S. • Occupation — Film director, television director • Years Active — 1970–present • Style — * Horror • thriller • drama • comedy
Career
Career
His first feature film, made in 1986, was Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, a film McNaughton directed, co-wrote, and co-produced. Numerous complications plagued the controversial film, delaying its theatrical release until 1989. The film made Time magazine's and Roger Ebert's ten best lists and won best picture honors at Fantasporto, Sitges Film Festival and the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film. His other works include the films Mad Dog and Glory and Wild Things, the documentary Condo Painting as well as episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street, John From Cincinnati, Masters of Horror and the pilot episode for Push, Nevada.
Personal life
Personal life
McNaughton studied fine arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in television production and a minor in photography.
Television
Television
TV movies • Year — Title — Notes • 1994 — Girls in Prison • 1997 — Firehouse — Credited as Alan Smithee • 1999 — Lansky • 2003 — Expert Witness — Unaired pilot TV series • Year — Title — Notes • 1994–1996 — Homicide: Life on the Street — 5 episodes • 2002 — Push, Nevada — Episode "The Amount" • 2003 — Without a Trace — Episode "Maple Street" • 2006 — Masters of Horror — Episode "Haeckel's Tale" • 2007 — John from Cincinnati — Episode "His Visit: Day Three"
Film
Documentary film • Year — Title — Director — Producer — Writer • 1984 — Dealers in Death • 2000 — Condo Painting Feature film • Year — Title — Director — Producer — Writer • 1986 — Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer • 1991 — The Borrower • 1991 — Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll • 1993 — Mad Dog and Glory • 1996 — Normal Life • 1998 — Wild Things • 2001 — Speaking of Sex — Executive • 2013 — The Harvest
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article John McNaughton, revision 1366510872 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 27 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
38,713 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- John McGeochPerson
- John McGiverPerson
- John McIntirePerson
- John McKayPerson
- John McPhersonPerson
- John McTiernanPerson
- John MegnaPerson
- John MeillonPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by John McNaughton?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.