Oscar-winning Rocky director John G Avildsen died on Friday in Los Angeles, his son confirmed to Los Angeles Times. Avildsen, 81, was suffering from pancreatic cancer. He is survived by daughter Bridget and sons Anthony, Jonathan and Ashley, reported Variety.
Avildsen won the Academy Award for Best Picture for Sylvester Stallone-starrer Rocky in 1976. The film became the highest-grossing film of that year. Although Avildsen refused to direct Rocky II, he joined the Rocky Balboa franchise for Rocky V in 1990s.
Like Rocky, his The Karate Kid earned him both box office success and critical acclaim. He later directed two other films of this franchise. In 1983, he got an Oscar nomination for his documentary Traveling Hopefully.
Born in Oak Park, Illinois, Avildsen graduated from Hotchkiss School and New York University. Avildsen’s career began as a cinematographer with advertising agencies. Soon, he went on to assist veteran directors like Arthur Penn and Otto Preminger. Avildsen’s first hit came in 1970 with the thriller-drama Joe. His Save the Tiger earned Jack Lemmon an Oscar for Best Actor. His other films include Neighbors, The Formula, Lean on Me and For Keeps.
“We were greatly saddened to learn of the passing of beloved director John Avildsen,” the Director’s Guild said a statement, according to Variety. “…Throughout the decades, his rousing portrayals of victory, courage and emotion captured the hearts of generations of Americans.”
Avilden had earned a reputation for making films about underdogs. In 2016, directed Derek Wayne Johnson made a documentary on Avildsen’s life and career. John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs features interviews with Stallone, Ralph Macchio, Martin Scorsese and Burt Reynolds.
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