What Was John G. Avildsen's Net Worth?
John G. Avildsen was an American film director who had a net worth of $20 million at the time of his death in 2017. He is best known for directing the iconic films "Rocky" and "The Karate Kid" series.
Early Life
John Guilbert Avildsen was born on December 21, 1935, in Oak Park, Illinois. His parents were Ivy and Clarence Avildsen, with his father working as a tool manufacturer. Avildsen attended Indian Mountain School and the Hotchkiss School before enrolling in night classes at New York University while working in advertising. During his time at NYU, he befriended Norman Wexler, who would later write the screenplay for Avildsen's 1970 film "Joe." In 1961, after serving in the U.S. Army, Avildsen was honorably discharged.
Career
After his military service, Avildsen began his film career as an assistant director to Arthur Penn and Otto Preminger and served as the director of photography for the 1969 film "Out of It." His first feature film as a director was the low-budget hit "Joe" (1970), starring Peter Boyle, which grossed $26 million on a budget of just $100,000. This success was followed by the 1971 cult classic comedy "Cry Uncle!" and "Okay Bill."
In 1973, Avildsen directed the critically acclaimed "Save the Tiger," earning three Oscar nominations and securing a Best Actor win for Jack Lemmon. He continued this success with films like "The Stoolie," "Fore Play," and "W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings."
Rocky and Acclaim
Avildsen's most celebrated work came in 1976 with "Rocky." Working closely with Sylvester Stallone, who both starred in and co-wrote the film, "Rocky" became a massive success. It was the highest-grossing film of 1976, garnered ten Academy Award nominations, and won three, including Best Picture and Best Director. Though Avildsen didn't direct the immediate sequels, he returned for "Rocky V" in 1990.
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In the 1980s, Avildsen directed "Slow Dancing in the Big City," "The Formula," and "Neighbors." He also received an Academy Award nomination in 1982 for his documentary short, "Travelling Hopefully."
Another significant triumph came in 1984 with "The Karate Kid," which became one of the highest-grossing films of the year and a cultural phenomenon. He also directed its sequels, "The Karate Kid Part II" (1986) and "The Karate Kid Part III" (1989), along with "Lean on Me" and "For Keeps?"
In 1992, Avildsen directed "The Power of One," featuring Stephen Dorff, Morgan Freeman, and Daniel Craig in his feature debut. Avildsen's final film was the 1999 action movie "Inferno," also known as "Desert Heat," starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Danny Trejo, and Pat Morita.
Personal Life and Death
John Avildsen was married twice, first to Marie Olga Maturevich and later to actress Tracy Brooks Swope in 1987, with whom he separated in 2007. He was a father of six children: Ash, Izzy, Jonathan, Anthony, Penelope, and Bridget. His son Ash is the founder of Sumerian Records, and his son Jonathan appeared in "The Karate Kid Part III" and "Rocky V."
On June 16, 2017, Avildsen passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 81 due to pancreatic cancer.
A documentary on his life, career, and films titled "John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs" was released in August 2017. Directed by Derek Wayne Johnson, it features interviews with notable figures like Sylvester Stallone, Ralph Macchio, Martin Scorsese, and Burt Reynolds. This documentary complements the book "The Films of John G. Avildsen: Rocky, The Karate Kid, and Other Underdogs" by Larry Powell and Tom Garrett.
