Birth Name: John Guilbert Avildsen
Date of Birth: December 21, 1935
Place of Birth: Oak Park, Illinois, U.S.
Date of Death: June 16, 2017
Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Ethnicity:
*father – Danish, Norwegian
*mother – English, Irish, Channel Islander [Guernsey]
John G. Avildsen was an American filmmaker. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Rocky (1976). He also directed the films Turn On to Love, Guess What We Learned in School Today?, Joe (1970), Cry Uncle!, Okay Bill, which he also wrote; The Stoolie, Save the Tiger, a segment of Fore Play; W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings, Slow Dancing in the Big City, The Formula (1980), Neighbors (1981), A Night in Heaven, The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid Part II, Happy New Year (1987), For Keeps?, Lean on Me, The Karate Kid Part III, Rocky V, The Power of One, 8 Seconds, and Inferno (1999). He directed the documentary short Traveling Hopefully. He was also known as Johnny Avildsen.
John was the son of Ivy and Clarence Avildsen. His father was born in Illinois, to a Danish father and a Norwegian mother. His mother was born in Liverpool, England.
He was married to actress Tracy Brooks Swope, until his death. John had six children, including two with his former wife Melissa McCall/Marie Olga Maturevich; a son, film director, screenwriter, producer, and Sumerian Records/Sumerian Films founder/CEO, Ash Avildsen, with his former partner Myroslawa Prystay; and one with Tracy.
John’s paternal grandfather was named Christian Avildsen. Christian was a Danish emigrant, from Copenhagen.
John’s paternal grandmother was named Emma Andersen (the daughter of John Andersen). Emma was a Norwegian emigrant, from Oslo.
John’s maternal grandfather was William John Guilbert (the son of Peter Guilbert and Jane Smyth). William was born in Ireland. Peter was born in Guernsey, the son of Jean Guilbert and Elizabeth Moullin. Jane was born in County Meath, Ireland.
John’s maternal grandmother was named Mary Thornthwaite (the daughter of Noah Thornthwaite and Margaret). Mary was born in Liverpool. Noah was born in Cumberland, the son of Jonathan Thornthwaite and Margaret.
Sources: Birth record of John G. Avildsen – https://www.familysearch.org
Birth record of John’s father – https://www.familysearch.org
John’s mother on the 1901 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org
John’s maternal grandfather, William John Guilbert, on the 1881 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org
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