John Landis

Landis in 2011, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: John David Landis

Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 3, 1950

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

John Landis is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He directed the films Schlock, The Kentucky Fried Movie, National Lampoon’s Animal House, The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London, the documentary Coming Soon, Trading Places, a segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie, Into the Night, Spies Like Us, Three Amigos!, segments of Amazon Women on the Moon, Coming to America, Oscar, Innocent Blood, Beverly Hills Cop III, The Stupids, Blues Brothers 2000, Susan’s Plan, and Burke & Hare (2010). He also wrote his Schlock, An American Werewolf in London, and Susan’s Plan, and co-wrote The Blues Brothers films, Coming Soon, and Twilight Zone: The Movie. He also directed Michael Jackson’s music videos Thriller and Black or White, episodes of the shows Dream On, Masters of Horror, Psych, and Superhero Kindergarten, and the television documentaries Slasher (2004) and Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project.

He is the son of Shirley and Marshall Landis, who was an interior designer and decorator. John is married to costume designer, author, and professor Deborah Nadoolman Landis. They have two children, including director, comic book writer, and screenwriter Max Landis.

John’s paternal grandfather was named Maxwell Landis. Maxwell was born in Russia.

John’s paternal grandmother was Muriel Davidson (the daughter of Jacob Davidson and Pearl Stone). Muriel was born in Illinois.

John’s maternal grandfather was Harry Arthur Magaziner (the son of Benjamin/Bernard/Bono Magaziner and Lena Speck). Harry was born in Ohio, to parents from Russia.

John’s maternal grandmother was May Potasky (the daughter of Louis John Potasky and Elizabeth Thal/Phal). May was born in Ohio, to parents from Russia. Louis was from Kiev.

Sources: Death record of John’s paternal grandmother, Muriel (Davidson) Landis – https://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of John Landis (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com

John’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org