John G. Avildsen

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John Gilbert Avildsen (born December 21, 1935 in Oak Park, Illinois) is an American film director.

His movies include Joe (1970), Rocky (1976) and Rocky V (1990) with Sylvester Stallone, and The Karate Kid (1984), with Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. He also directed the acclaimed, Save the Tiger starring Jack Lemmon and Lean On Me (1989), starring Morgan Freeman as the no-nonsense high school principal Joe Clark. A recurring theme in many of Avildsen's movies is the triumph of an underdog character over adversity.

Avildsen won the Academy Award for Directing Rocky.

A note of trivia for heavy metal/hardcore fans: Avildsen's son, Ash, is the lead singer for the metallic hardcore band Reflux, though, as Ash is very quick to point out, the two allegedly have absolutely no personal relationship. A very bitter Ash once wrote his side of the story on the band's official website in response to the endless queries if his father was indeed the famous director, but it has since been taken down.

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