John Landis

John David Landis, born on August 3, 1950, is a prominent American filmmaker and actor. Landis has built a renowned career through his numerous hit comedy and horror films spanning over multiple decades. Some of his notable works include comedy films such as 'The Kentucky Fried Movie' (1977), 'National Lampoon's Animal House' (1978), 'The Blues Brothers' (1980), 'Trading Places' (1983), 'Three Amigos' (1986), 'Coming to America' (1988) and 'Beverly Hills Cop III' (1994). His proficiency for horror is also evident with his creation of the classics 'An American Werewolf in London' (1981) and 'Innocent Blood' (1992). His creative reaches also include the widely popular music videos for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (1983) and "Black or White" (1991).

Landis later branched out into television work and directed series like 'Dream On' (1990), 'Weird Science' (1994) and 'Sliders' (1995). Commercials for major companies also saw the touch of Landis' direction. Notably, he won an Emmy Award in 2008 for his documentary 'Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project' (2007). Regardless of his success, his film career was darkened with controversy in 1982 during the filming of 'Twilight Zone: The Movie' when three actors died on set. Landis and his team faced trial but were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter. Despite controversies, Landis continues to work within the industry even today.