John G. Avildsen

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 John 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 Christian Avildsen (the son of Jorgan/Jørgen Peter Avildsen and Helene Morgensen). Christian was a Danish emigrant, from Copenhagen. Jorgan was born in Sønderborg.

John’s paternal grandmother was Emma Andersen/Anderson (the daughter of Johan/John Andersen and Marion Christine/Christiansen). Emma was a Norwegian emigrant, from Oslo.

John’s maternal grandfather was William John Guilbert (the son of Peter/Pierre Guilbert and Jane Smyth). William was born in Ireland. Peter was born in Guernsey, the son of Jean Guilbert and Elizabeth Moullin/Moulin. 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.

Each of John’s grandparents was born in a different country, something that is fairly rare. Actors Remy Auberjonois, Hart Bochner, Raymond Cham, Jr., Noah Emmerich, Lily James, Stephen Lang, Jessica Lange, Logan Lerman, Robert Morley, Brett Pierce, Ben Rosenfield, Andy Samberg, and Wallace Shawn, musicians Tom Cochrane, Paula Cole, Alex Pall, and Jeff Stinco, politicians Nick Clegg and Ricardo Maduro, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, are others whose grandparents were born in four individual countries.

Sources: Genealogy of John G. Avildsen – https://www.geni.com

Birth record of John G. Avildsen – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth record of John’s father – https://www.familysearch.org

John’s father on the 1910 U.S. Census – 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