JC
John Cassavetes
Actor, Director, Writer, Editor, Producer, Additional Credits
Born December 9, 1929Died February 3, 1989 (59 years)
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). 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).
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). 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
John Cassavetes Filmography
| 2014 | Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films · as Robert Harmon (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2008 | Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired · as Guy Woodhouse (archive Footage) |
| 2005 | Premio Donostia a Ben Gazzara · as Gus Demetri |
| 1984 | Terror in the Aisles · as Guy Woodhouse |
| 1984 | Love Streams · as Robert Harmon |
| 1983 | Marvin & Tige · as Marvin |
| 1982 | The Haircut · as Music Industry Executive |
| 1982 | Tempest · as Phillip |
| 1981 | The Incubus · as Dr. Sam Cordell |
| 1981 | Whose Life Is It Anyway? · as Dr. Michael Emerson |
| 1979 | Flesh & Blood · as Gus Caputo |
| 1978 | Brass Target · as Maj. Joe De Lucca |
| 1978 | The Fury · as Ben Childress |
| 1977 | Opening Night · as Maurice Aarons |
| 1977 | Heroes · as Va Doctor (uncredited) |
| 1976 | Mikey and Nicky · as Nicky |
| 1976 | Two-Minute Warning · as Sgt. Chris Button |
| 1975 | Capone · as Frankie Yale |
| 1971 | Minnie and Moskowitz · as Jim |
| 1971 | Columbo (TV Series) · as Alex Benedict |
| 1970 | Husbands · as Gus Demetri |
| 1969 | If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium · as Steve |
| 1969 | Machine Gun McCain · as Hank Mccain |
| 1968 | Bandits in Rome · as Mario Corda |
| 1968 | Rosemary's Baby · as Guy Woodhouse |
| 1967 | Off to See the Wizard (TV Series) · as General Karonos |
| 1967 | The Dirty Dozen · as Victor Franko |
| 1967 | Devil's Angels · as Cody |
| 1965 | Long Hot Summer (TV Series) · as Tim Demming |
| 1965 | The Legend of Jesse James (TV Series) · as Blackie Dolan |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courage (TV Series) · as Parsons |
| 1964 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (TV Series) |
| 1964 | The Killers · as Johnny North |
| 1963 | Alexander the Great · as Karonos |
| 1963 | Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) · as Peter Chandler |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) |
| 1963 | Burke's Law (TV Series) · as Stephen Collins |
| 1963 | Channing (TV Series) · as Lloyd Sullivan |
| 1963 | Breaking Point (TV Series) · as Evan Price |
| 1963 | A Child Is Waiting · as Retarded Adult Who Walks Toward Camera |
| 1962 | Combat! (TV Series) · as Kalb |
| 1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV Series) · as Lee Griffin |
| 1962 | The Virginian (TV Series) · as Jonah Macintosh |
| 1962 | The Lloyd Bridges Show (TV Series) · as Castigo |
| 1961 | Too Late Blues · as On-Screen Trailer Host & Narrator |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare (TV Series) · as Makin Saund |
| 1959 | Johnny Staccato (TV Series) · as Johnny Staccato |
| 1959 | Rawhide (TV Series) · as Cal Fletcher |
| 1958 | Shadows · as Pedestrian (uncredited) |
| 1958 | Pursuit (TV Series) · as Sam Caldwell |
| 1958 | Our Virgin Island · as Evan |
| 1958 | Saddle the Wind · as Tony Sinclair |
| 1957 | Alcoa Theatre (TV Series) · as Tony Benedetti |
| 1957 | Affair in Havana · as Nick Douglas |
| 1957 | Edge of the City · as Axel Nordmann |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Dexter Green |
| 1956 | Crime in the Streets · as Frankie Dane |
| 1955 | The 20th Century-Fox Hour (TV Series) · as Max Markheim |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Sam Cobbett |
| 1955 | The Night Holds Terror · as Robert Batsford |
| 1954 | Climax! (TV Series) · as Malcolm Mccloud |
| 1954 | The Elgin Hour (TV Series) · as Frankie Dane |
| 1953 | Taxi · as Man (uncredited) |
| 1953 | The United States Steel Hour (TV Series) · as Johnny |
| 1953 | Ponds Theater (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1953 | You Are There (TV Series) · as Plato |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Johnny |
| 1952 | Omnibus (TV Series) · as Pepe |
| 1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Paul Davis |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (TV Series) |
| 1951 | Fourteen Hours · as Reporter (uncredited) |
| 1950 | The Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) · as First Guard |
| 1950 | Danger (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1950 | The Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV Series) · as Arthur |
| 1950 | |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Paul Greco |
| 1948 | The Philco Television Playhouse (TV Series) |
| 1947 | Kraft Television Theatre (TV Series) · as Danny |
| 1946 | Lights Out (TV Series) · as Firing Squad |
| 1986 | |
| 1984 | |
| 1980 | |
| 1977 | |
| 1976 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1971 | |
| 1971 | Columbo (TV Series) |
| 1970 | |
| 1968 | |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) |
| 1963 | |
| 1962 | The Lloyd Bridges Show (TV Series) |
| 1961 | |
| 1959 | Johnny Staccato (TV Series) |
| 1958 |
| 1999 | Gloria · as Original Film Writer |
| 1997 | |
| 1984 | Love Streams · as Screenplay |
| 1981 | The Incubus · as Screenplay |
| 1980 | |
| 1977 | |
| 1976 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1971 | |
| 1970 | |
| 1968 | |
| 1961 | |
| 1958 |
| 2024 | |
| 2019 | Peter Falk versus Columbo · as Self |
| 2018 | Black Baby · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | Gena Rowlands: A Life on Film · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2015 | Iconic Couples (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2014 | |
| 2012 | |
| 2006 | Edge of Outside · as Self |
| 2003 | A Decade Under the Influence · as Self |
| 2002 | The Kid Stays in the Picture · as Self |
| 2000 | A Constant Forge · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 1993 | Anything for John · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 1990 | Hollywood Mavericks · as Self |
| 1989 | The 61st Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Memorial Tribute |
| 1985 | Nederland C · as Self - Portrait Of The Actor / Cinematographer |
| 1984 | |
| 1984 | Fräulein Berlin · as Himself |
| 1982 | Cinéma cinémas (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1978 | Movies Are My Life · as Self |
| 1978 | The 35th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Audience Member |
| 1977 | The 34th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1975 | 47th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1975 | Sunday meetings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1968 | The 40th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1968 | The Dick Cavett Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1966 | The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1964 | Filmmakers of our time (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1960 | Here's Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1960 | Hedda Hopper's Hollywood · as Self |
| 1958 | The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1954 | Camera Three (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1953 | Person to Person (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1948 | The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Nominee |
| 1968 | |
| 1961 |
| 2010 | Before Opening Night · as Story |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) · as Teleplay |