Avildsen—whose best-known films include Rocky and the first three installments of The Karate Kid franchise—was 81. Variety reports that John G. Avildsen, an Oscar-winning director with a celebrated knack for capturing the stories of beloved underdogs, has died. The director wouldn't have another big score until 1984, when he brought another classic of the have-nots-beat-haves genre into the world, in the form of The Karate Kid. This time, when the chance to stay on for a massively lucrative film franchise presented itself, Avildsen took it, directing The Karate Kid Part II and Part III as well. Avildsen's biggest hit came in 1976, when he was brought on to direct relatively unknown actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone in Rocky.
R.I.P. John G. Avildsen, Oscar-winning director of Rocky, has died
John G. Avildsen, the Academy Award-winning director behind Rocky, has died at the age of 81. Avildsen's definitive work came in 1976 when he introduced moviegoers to an upstart boxer named Rocky Balboa. The director was also the subject of a recent documentary, John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs, which is currently screening at various film festivals. For his part, Avildsen earned the Oscar for Best Director. Three years later, Avildsen helmed Save the Tiger, which earned Jack Lemmon an Academy Award for his portrayal of a fashion executive embroiled in an existential crisis.collected by :Lucy William
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