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John Cassavetes
Director

John Cassavetes

9 Dec 1929Born
3 Feb 1989Died
59Age at death
72Credits

Biography

John Nicholas Cassavetes (December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. First known as an actor on television and in film, Cassavetes also became a pioneer of American independent cinema, writing and directing movies financed in part with income from his acting work. AllMovie called him "an iconoclastic maverick," while The New Yorker suggested that he "may be the most influential American director of the last half century."

As an actor, Cassavetes starred in notable Hollywood films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including Edge of the City (1957), The Dirty Dozen (1967), and Rosemary's Baby (1968).

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He began his directing career with the 1959 independent feature Shadows and followed with independent productions such as Faces (1968), Husbands (1970), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Opening Night (1977), and Love Streams (1984), in addition to intermittent studio work.

Cassavetes' films employed an actor-centered approach which privileged character examination over traditional Hollywood storytelling or stylized production values. His films became associated with an improvisational, cinéma vérité aesthetic. He collaborated frequently with a rotating group of friends, crew members, and actors, including his wife Gena Rowlands, Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, and Seymour Cassel.

For his role in The Dirty Dozen, Cassavetes received a Best Supporting Actor nomination. As a filmmaker, he was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for Faces (1968) and Best Director for A Woman Under the Influence (1974).

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2024John Cassavetes par Thierry JousseFilm
  2. 2021150 Miles of Rotting, Rutted, Lumpy, Dilapidated PavementFilm: Man Talking
  3. 2008Roman Polanski: Wanted and DesiredFilm: Guy Woodhouse (archive footage)
  4. 1997She's So LovelyFilm: Writer
  5. 1986Big TroubleFilm: Director
  6. 1985Marvin & TigeFilm: Marvin
  7. 1984Love StreamsFilm: Robert Harmon, Director, Screenplay
  8. 1982The HaircutFilm: Music Industry Executive
  9. 1982TempestFilm: Phillip
  10. 1982IncubusFilm: Dr. Sam Cordell, Screenplay
  11. 1981Whose Life Is It Anyway?Film: Dr. Michael Emerson
  12. 1980GloriaFilm: Director, Writer
  13. 1979Flesh & BloodFilm: Gus Caputo
  14. 1979Flesh & BloodSeries: Gus Caputo (2 episodes)
  15. 1978Brass TargetFilm: Maj. Joe De Lucca
  16. 1978The FuryFilm: Ben Childress
  17. 1977Opening NightFilm: Maurice Aarons, Director, Writer
  18. 1977HeroesFilm: VA Doctor (uncredited)
  19. 1976Mikey and NickyFilm: Nicky
  20. 1976Two-Minute WarningFilm: Sgt. Chris Button
  21. 1976The Killing of a Chinese BookieFilm: Director, Writer
  22. 1975CaponeFilm: Frankie Yale
  23. 1974A Woman Under the InfluenceFilm: Writer, Director
  24. 1973NightsideFilm: Carmine Kelly
  25. 1971Minnie and MoskowitzFilm: Jim, Director, Writer
  26. 1971ColumboSeries: Alex Benedict (1 episode)
  27. 1970HusbandsFilm: Gus Demetri, Director, Writer
  28. 1969If It's Tuesday, This Must Be BelgiumFilm: Steve
  29. 1969Machine Gun McCainFilm: Hank McCain
  30. 1968FacesFilm: Director, Writer
  31. 1968Bandits in RomeFilm: Mario Corda
  32. 1968Rosemary's BabyFilm: Guy Woodhouse
  33. 1968Alexander The GreatFilm: Karonos
  34. 1967The Dirty DozenFilm: Victor Franko
  35. 1967Devil's AngelsFilm: Cody
  36. 1965The Legend of Jesse JamesSeries: Blackie Dolan (1 episode)
  37. 1964Profiles in CourageSeries: Parsons (1 episode)
  38. 1964Voyage to the Bottom of the SeaSeries (1 episode)
  39. 1964The KillersFilm: Johnny North
  40. 1963Kraft Suspense TheatreSeries: Peter Chandler (1 episode)
  41. 1963Burke's LawSeries: Eddie Dineen, Alfred Algernon, Stephen Collins, Carlos de Vega (1 episode)
  42. 1963ChanningSeries: Lloyd Sullivan (1 episode)
  43. 1963A Child Is WaitingFilm: Director
  44. 1962Combat!Series: Kalb (1 episode)
  45. 1962The Alfred Hitchcock HourSeries: Rusty Connors, Lee Griffin (1 episode)
  46. 1962The VirginianSeries: Jonah MacIntosh (1 episode)
  47. 1962The Lloyd Bridges ShowSeries: Director (1 episode)
  48. 1962The Webster BoyFilm: Vance Miller
  49. 1961Too Late BluesFilm: Writer, Director
  50. 1961Dr. KildareSeries: Makin Saund (1 episode)
  51. 1960ShadowsFilm: Pedestrian (uncredited), Writer, Director
  52. 1959Johnny StaccatoSeries: Johnny Staccato, Director (27 episodes)
  53. 1959Virgin IslandFilm: Evan
  54. 1959RawhideSeries: Cal Fletcher (1 episode)
  55. 1958Saddle the WindFilm: Tony Sinclair
  56. 1957Affair in HavanaFilm: Nick Douglas
  57. 1957Edge of the CityFilm: Axel Nordmann
  58. 1956No Right to KillFilm: McCloud
  59. 1956Crime in the StreetsFilm: Frankie Dane
  60. 1955The 20th Century Fox HourSeries: Max Markheim (1 episode)
  61. 1955Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSeries: Sam Cobbett (1 episode)
  62. 1955The Night Holds TerrorFilm: Robert Batsford
  63. 1955Appointment with AdventureSeries: Danny Loomis (1 episode)
  64. 1954Climax!Series: Malcolm McCloud, Abel Winter (1 episode)
  65. 1953The United States Steel HourSeries: Johnny (1 episode)
  66. 1953General Electric TheaterSeries: Johnny (1 episode)
  67. 1953TaxiFilm: Man (uncredited)
  68. 1951Schlitz Playhouse of StarsSeries (1 episode)
  69. 1951Fourteen HoursFilm: Reporter (uncredited)
  70. 1950Robert Montgomery PresentsSeries (1 episode)
  71. 1948Studio OneSeries: Paul Greco (1 episode)
  72. 1948The Philco Television PlayhouseSeries (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.