John Cassavetes

John Cassavetes
Γιάννης Κασσαβέτης
Cassavetes in 1959
Born(1929-12-09)December 9, 1929
DiedFebruary 3, 1989(1989-02-03) (aged 59)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeWestwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Occupations
  • Filmmaker
  • actor
Years active1951–1989
Spouse
(m. 1954)
Children
RelativesKatherine Cassavetes (mother)
Signature

John Nicholas Cassavetes[a] (December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was a Greek-American filmmaker and actor. He began as an actor in film and television before helping to pioneer modern American independent cinema as a writer and director, often producing and distributing his films with his own money.[2] He received nominations for three Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and an Emmy Award.

After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Cassavetes started his career in television acting in numerous network dramas. From 1959 to 1960 he played the title role in the NBC detective series Johnny Staccato. He then acted in notable films such as Martin Ritt's film noir Edge of the City (1957), Roman Polanski's horror film Rosemary's Baby (1968) and Elaine May's crime drama Mikey and Nicky (1976). He earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance in the Robert Aldrich war film The Dirty Dozen (1967).[3][4]

Cassavetes became known for directing a string of critically acclaimed independent films including Shadows (1959), Faces (1968), Husbands (1970), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Opening Night (1977), Gloria (1980), and Love Streams (1984). His films employed an actor-centered approach which prioritized raw character relationships and "small feelings" while rejecting traditional Hollywood storytelling, method acting, and stylization. His films became associated with an improvisational aesthetic and a cinéma vérité feel.[b] He received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay (Faces) and Best Director (A Woman Under the Influence).

He frequently collaborated with American actress Gena Rowlands (to whom he was married from 1954 until his death in 1989) and friends Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, and Seymour Cassel. Many of his films were shot and edited in his and Rowlands' own Los Angeles home. He and Rowlands had a son named Nick and two daughters named Alexandra and Zoe, all of whom followed them into acting and filmmaking.

  1. ^ "Martin Scorsese on John Cassavetes". Archived from the original on November 2, 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  2. ^ "John + Gena: dynamite on screen and off". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 7, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  3. ^ "George Kennedy winning Best Supporting Actor". Archived from the original on November 2, 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  4. ^ "The 40th Academy Awards | 1968". Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  5. ^ Carney, Ray, Cassavetes on Cassavetes, London: Faber and Faber, 2001: pp. 217.


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