John Landis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Landis
|
|
|---|---|
Landis at the 2022 Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Italy
|
|
| Born |
John David Landis
August 3, 1950 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Deborah Nadoolman
(m. 1980) |
| Children | 2, including Max Landis |
| Signature | |
 |
|
John David Landis (born August 3, 1950) is an American filmmaker and actor. He is famous for directing many funny movies. Some of his best-known comedies include The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977), National Lampoon's Animal House (1978), The Blues Brothers (1980), Trading Places (1983), Three Amigos (1986), and Coming to America (1988).
He also directed some scary movies like An American Werewolf in London (1981). John Landis is also known for directing two very famous music videos for Michael Jackson: "Thriller" (1983) and "Black or White" (1991).
Later, Landis worked on TV shows like Dream On (1990) and Weird Science (1994). He also directed commercials for big companies like Coca-Cola and Disney. In 2008, he won an Emmy Award for a documentary called Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project.
In 1982, a sad accident happened on the set of his movie Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983). Three actors, including two children, died during filming. This event led to big changes in how movies are made to keep everyone safe.
John Landis is the father of another filmmaker, Max Landis.
Contents
Early Life
John Landis was born in Chicago, Illinois. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was just four months old. Even though he grew up in California, he still thinks of Chicago as his hometown. He is a big fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team.
When John was a young boy, he watched a movie called The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. This movie really inspired him and made him want to become a director.
Career Highlights
Starting Out
John Landis began his movie career working as a mailboy at 20th Century Fox. He then became an assistant director for the movie Kelly's Heroes in 1969. While working on that film, he met actors Don Rickles and Donald Sutherland, who later appeared in his movies. Landis also worked on other films in Europe and even worked as a stunt double.
When he was 21, Landis directed his first movie, Schlock. He also wrote the movie and acted in it. It was a tribute to old monster movies. The gorilla suit for the film was made by Rick Baker, who became a long-time friend and collaborator. Schlock became a cult favorite after TV host Johnny Carson helped promote it.
Landis then directed The Kentucky Fried Movie. This film was a comedy inspired by funny TV shows like Monty Python and Saturday Night Live. It was the first movie written by the famous team of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker.
Big Successes (1978–1981)
After seeing The Kentucky Fried Movie, Universal Studios hired Landis to direct Animal House. This movie was a huge hit and earned a lot of money. It became one of the most successful comedy films of its time. Animal House also helped start the "gross-out" comedy style in Hollywood. It was the first movie for actors like John Belushi and Kevin Bacon.
In 1980, Landis co-wrote and directed The Blues Brothers. This comedy starred John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. It featured amazing musical performances by legendary singers like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles. It was one of the most expensive movies ever made at the time.
In 1981, Landis wrote and directed An American Werewolf in London. This movie mixed comedy with horror. It was a very personal project for Landis, as he had thought about making it since 1969. The film was also a big success and encouraged other filmmakers to add humor to horror movies.
Later Films and Music Videos
After the Twilight Zone accident, Landis directed Trading Places. This comedy, starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy, was a big hit in 1983. It helped Landis's career a lot, along with his work on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video.
He then directed Spies Like Us (1985), a comedy starring Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase. In 1986, Landis directed Three Amigos, which featured Chevy Chase, Martin Short, and Steve Martin.
In 1988, Landis directed another very successful Eddie Murphy movie, Coming to America. This film was one of the most popular movies of that year. He later directed Eddie Murphy again in Beverly Hills Cop III (1994).
John Landis has directed several famous music videos. Michael Jackson asked him to create the video for his song "Thriller". This video changed how music videos were made and won many awards. In 1991, Landis worked with Michael Jackson again on the music video for "Black or White".
Television and Documentaries
Landis has also worked a lot in television. He was an executive producer and director for TV series like Dream On (1990) and Weird Science (1994). He also directed episodes for horror shows like Masters of Horror and Fear Itself.
He has made documentaries too. In 1983, he made Making Michael Jackson's Thriller, which became a huge selling home video. In 2007, he directed Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project, a documentary for which he won an Emmy Award in 2008.
Personal Life
John Landis is married to Deborah Nadoolman Landis, who is a costume designer. They have two children, Max Landis and Rachel. The family lives in Beverly Hills, California.
Selected Filmography
Here are some of the movies and TV shows John Landis directed:
- Schlock (1973)
- The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)
- Animal House (1978)
- The Blues Brothers (1980)
- An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- Trading Places (1983)
- Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) (segments "Prologue" and "Time Out")
- Into the Night (1985)
- Spies Like Us (1985)
- ¡Three Amigos! (1986)
- Coming to America (1988)
- Oscar (1991)
- Innocent Blood (1992)
- Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)
- Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
- Burke and Hare (2010)
Music Videos Directed
- Thriller (1983) for Michael Jackson
- Black or White (1991) for Michael Jackson
Television Series Directed (selected episodes)
- Dream On (1990–1996)
- Campus Cops (1996)
- Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (1997)
- Masters of Horror (2005–2006)
- Psych (2007–2008)
- Fear Itself (2008)
- Franklin & Bash (2012)
- Superhero Kindergarten (2021)
See also
In Spanish: John Landis para niños
