John G. Avildsen

**John Guilbert Avildsen (December 21, 1935 – June 16, 2017)** was an accomplished American film director. Born in Oak Park, Illinois, he was educated at Indian Mountain School, the Hotchkiss School, and at New York University. His career saw him starting out as an assistant director on films by Arthur Penn and Otto Preminger. He also acted as director of photography on the 1969 film, Out of It, before his 1970 low-budget feature Joe received good notices and was a success at the box office. Avildsen is best known for directing Rocky (1976), which earned him numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Director. In addition to Rocky, his directorial contributions also included the first three films of The Karate Kid franchise. Other films he directed include The Formula (1980), Neighbors (1981), and Inferno (1999). Apart from his professional achievements, Avildsen's personal life also drew some attention. His first wife was Marie Olga Maturevich, followed by actress Tracy Brooks Swope whom he married in 1987. He had a total of four children including Jonathan Avildsen who appeared in The Karate Kid Part III and Rocky V. The cause of Avildsen's unfortunate death in 2017 was pancreatic cancer, as revealed by his son Anthony Avildsen. Avildsen's legacy is preserved in a documentary on his life and films, John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs, that was released posthumously in August 2017.