John Landis Biography (1950-)

Full name, John David Landis; born August 3, 1950, in Chicago, IL; son of Marshall David (an interior decorator) and Shirley (maiden name, Magaziner) Landis; married Deborah Nadoolman (a costume designer), July 27, 1980; children:Rachel, Max. Addresses: Agent: Gersh Agency, 232 North Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.; Manager: Gold/Miller Division, Mosaic Media Group, 9200Sunset Blvd., 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Occupation
Producer, director, writer, actor, stunt performer
Birth Details
August 3, 1950
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Director
  • Schlock (also known as The Banana Monster), Jack Harris, 1973
  • The Kentucky Fried Movie, United Film, 1977
  • National Lampoon's Animal House (also known as Animal House), Universal, 1977
  • The Blues Brothers, Universal, 1980
  • And stuntman, An American Werewolf in London (also known as American Werewolf), Universal, 1981
  • (And producer) Coming Soon, 1982
  • (And producer, with Steven Spielberg) Segments "Prologue" and "Back There," Twilight Zone: The Movie, Warner Bros., 1983
  • Trading Places, Paramount, 1983
  • Into the Night, Universal, 1985
  • Spies Like Us, Warner Bros., 1985
  • Three Amigos!, Orion, 1986
  • (With Joe Dante, Carl Gottlieb, Peter Horton, and Robert K. Weiss; and executive producer) Amazon Women on the Moon (also known as Cheeseburger Film Sandwich), Universal, 1987
  • Coming to America (also known as Prince in New York), Paramount, 1988
  • Oscar, Buena Vista, 1991
  • Innocent Blood (also known as A French Vampire in America),Warner Bros., 1992
  • Beverly Hills Cop III, Paramount, 1994
  • The Stupids, New Line Cinema, 1996
  • (And producer and music executive producer) Blues Brothers 2000, Universal, 1998
  • Film Executive Producer
  • Clue (also known as Clue: The Movie), Paramount, 1985
  • Film Stunt Performer
  • Schlock (also known as The Banana Monster), Jack Harris, 1973
  • An American Werewolf in London, Universal, 1981
  • Film Appearances
  • The tallest nun, Kelly's Heroes, 1970
  • Schlockthropus, Schlock (also known as The Banana Monster),Jack Harris, 1973
  • Jake's friend, Battle for the Planet of the Apes (also known as Colonization of the Planet of the Apes), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1973
  • Mechanic, Death Race 2000, New World, 1975
  • Extra, Jaws, 1975
  • (Uncredited) Studio crew member fighting with gorilla, The Kentucky Fried Movie, United Film, 1977
  • Corporal Mizerany, 1941, Universal, 1979
  • Trooper La Fong, The Blues Brothers, Universal, 1980
  • (Uncredited) Man hit by a car, An American Werewolf in London (also known as American Werewolf), Universal, 1981
  • (Uncredited) Man in bank, Eating Raoul, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1982
  • Leonard Winesop, The Muppets Take Manhattan, TriStar, 1984
  • Savak, Into the Night, Universal, 1985
  • Physician, Darkman, Universal, 1990
  • Radio technician, Spontaneous Combustion, Taurus Entertainment, 1990
  • Lab technician, Stephen King's Sleepwalkers (also known as Sleepstalkers and Sleepwalkers), Columbia, 1992
  • Himself, Venice/Venice, International Rainbow Pictures, 1992
  • Dr. Edwards, Body Chemistry II: Voice of a Stranger (also known asVoice of a Stranger), Columbia TriStar Home Video, 1992
  • FBI Agent, Silence of the Hams (also known as Il silenzio dei prosciutti), October Films, 1994
  • Himself, Who Is Henry Jaglom?, 1995
  • First astronaut, Vampirella, Concorde, 1996
  • Doctor, Mad City, Warner Bros., 1997
  • Narrator, Hollywood Rated "R" (also known as Les deniers du culte), 1997
  • Himself, Chicago Filmmakers on the Chicago River, 1998
  • Gambler, Diamonds, Miramax, 1999
  • Judge Kaltenbrenner, Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby, FullMoon Entertainment, 1999
  • Himself, The American Nightmare, 2000
  • Professor Ackerman, 2001 Maniacs, Rhino Films/Tuffin Entertainment, 2003
  • Television Executive Producer
  • Series
  • Dream On, HBO, 1990-1996
  • Weird Science, USA Network, 1994
  • Sliders, Fox, 1995-1996
  • Campus Cops, USA Network, 1996
  • Disney's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, syndicated, 1997-1999
  • Movies
  • Here Come the Munsters, 1995
  • The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas, Fox, 1996
  • (And director) Susan's Plan (also known as Dying to Get Rich), Cinemax, 1998
  • Television Director
  • Episodic
  • "Disaster at Buzz Creek," George Burns Comedy Week, CBS, 1985
  • Premiere episode, Dream On, HBO, 1990
  • "The Second Greatest Story Ever Told," Dream On, HBO, 1991
  • "Black or White," Dangerous, Fox, 1991
  • "Muskrat Ramble," Campus Cops, USA Network, 1996
  • "Honey, Name That Tune," Disney's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, syndicated, 1999
  • Television Work
  • Pilots
  • Director, Tropical Heat, Fox, 1993
  • Executive Producer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World (alsoknown as The Lost World), syndicated, 1999
  • Specials
  • Executive producer, Fuzzbucket, ABC, 1986
  • Director, "Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration," The Magical World of Disney, NBC, 1990
  • Also associated with the special B. B. King: Into the Night.
  • Television Appearances
  • Specials
  • Stand-up Comics Take a Stand!, The Family Channel, 1989
  • Presenter, The Horror Hall of Fame, 1990
  • Himself, Heartstoppers: Horror at the Movies, 1992
  • Jerry Lewis, Total Filmmaker (also known as Martin and Lewis: Their Golden Age of Comedy), The Disney Channel, 1994
  • Don Ameche: Hollywood's Class Act, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
  • Andy Kaufman's Really Big Show, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
  • Video Killed the Radio Star, VH1, 2000
  • Himself, It's Black Entertainment, Showtime, 2000
  • The American Nightmare, Independent Film Channel, 2000
  • It's Burlesque, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
  • Interviewee, Masters of Horror, 2002
  • Interviewee, Forever Ealing, 2002
  • Movies
  • Mike Calvecchio, Psycho IV: The Beginning, Showtime, 1990
  • Surgical assistant, Quicksilver Highway, Fox, 1997
  • The judge, Laws of Deception, Cinemax, 1999
  • Miniseries
  • Russ Dorr, Stephen King's "The Stand" (also known as The Stand), ABC, 1994
  • Episodic
  • Michael, "The Pal-Mir Escort," The Six Million Dollar Man, 1974
  • Herb, "Futile Attraction," Dream On, HBO, 1991
  • Herb, "Where There's Smoke, You're Fired," Dream On, HBO, 1994
  • Himself, "Caroline and the Movie," Caroline and the City, NBC, 1995
  • The Big Scary Movie Show, Sci-Fi Channel, 1996
  • Himself, "New Years Compilation," I Love 1980's, BBC, 2001
  • Himself, The Big Breakfast, Seven Network, 2002
  • As John Landie, voice performer for Eek! The Cat (animated; also known as Eek! and the Terrible Thunderlizards and Eek!stravaganza).
  • RECORDINGS
  • Videos
  • Producer, director, writer (with others), and performer, Making Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (also known as Michael Jackson: Making MichaelJackson's "Thriller"), Palace/Virgin Vision/Gold, 1983
  • Himself, Dangerous: The Short Films (also known as Michael Jackson--Dangerous: The Short Films), 1993
  • Director and performer, HIStory (also known as Michael Jackson:Video Greatest Hits--HIStory), 1994
  • Narrator, Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of "The Wolf Man," 1999
  • Coproducer, director, and writer (with others), "Thriller" (music video;also known as "Michael Jackson's Thriller"), by Michael Jackson, 1983; director, "Black or White" (music video), by Michael Jackson, 1991.
  • WRITINGS
  • Screenplays
  • Schlock (also known as The Banana Monster), Jack Harris, 1973
  • (With Dan Aykroyd) The Blues Brothers, Universal, 1980
  • An American Werewolf in London (also known as American Werewolf; also based on characters created by Landis), Universal, 1981
  • Coming Soon, 1982
  • "Prologue" and "Back There," Twilight Zone: The Movie, Warner Bros., 1983
  • Into the Night, Universal, 1985
  • (And song lyrics, with others) Blues Brothers 2000, Universal, 1998
  • Television Movies
  • Susan's Plan (also known as Dying to Get Rich), Cinemax, 1998

Further Reference

ADAPTATIONS

  • The film Clue, released by Paramount in 1985, was based on a storyby Landis and Jonathon Lynn; the 1997 film An American Werewolf in Paris (also known as American Werewolf 2 and Le loup-garou de Paris), was based on characters created by Landis for An American Werewolf inLondon.
OTHER SOURCES
    Books
    • Farber, Stephen, and Marc Green, Outrageous Conduct: Art, Ego, and theTwilight Zone Case, Ballantine Books, 1988
    • LeBrecque, Ron, Special Effects: Disaster at "Twilight Zone," the Tragedy and the Trial, Scribner-Macmillan, 1988
    Periodicals
    • American Film, May, 1982
    • Cinefantastique, November, 1997, p. 20
    • Entertainment Weekly, July 25, 1997, p. 86
    • People Weekly, August 4, 1980; July 18, 1983; February 26, 1985;
    • Rolling Stone, August 7, 1980; July 7, 1983

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