John G. Avildsen, who won an Oscar in 1977 for directing “Rocky” and also directed “The Karate Kid,” has died of cancer at age 81.
Avildsen died Friday of pancreatic cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, his eldest son Anthony told the Los Angeles Times.
Avildsen directed seven actors to Oscar nominations, including Jack Lemmon, who won the best actor Oscar for “Save the Tiger” in 1974.
Avildsen also directed “Rocky V,” the first two sequels to “The Karate Kid,” “Lean on Me,” “Neighbors” and “8 Seconds.”
“Throughout the decades, his rousing portrayals of victory, courage and emotion captured the hearts of generations of Americans,” Directors Guild of America President Paris Barclay said.
Gary Barber, the chairman and CEO of MGM, which released “Rocky,” called Avildsen, “one of America’s treasured filmmakers.”
A documentary “John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs,” premiered in February at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Avildsen is also survived by sons Jonathan and Ashley and daughter Bridget.
— City News Service