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Who Is John Cassavetes?

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The American director, screenwriter, producer and actor has had a great career in international cinema. The son of Greek immigrants in New York, he turned to acting at an early age, starring in theater tours and TV series throughout the 1950s. With “Shadows” John Cassavetes presented his first film in 1959, which is considered the prototype of an independent American cinema, for which he has been responsible since 1963 with his production company “Faces International Films”. In successful films such as “Husbands” (1970), “The Killing of a Chinese Bookie” (1975) and “Opening Night” (1977), the director staged his core themes of isolation, alienation, the search for identity and love…

John Cassavetes was born on December 9, 1929 in New York to Greek immigrants. He grew up in Manhattan and Long Island.

After school, Cassavetes did his military service. He then began studying, which he soon gave up to take up acting training at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. After completing these studies in 1953, Cassavetes played for a theater company, with which he also undertook several tours. He was also in front of the camera in television series and shows. In 1954 Cassavetes married actress Gena Rowlands, who acted in many of his films. Two years later he started Variety Arts Studio with Burt Lande, which served as a workshop for unemployed actors. Cassavetes made his first film “Shadows” at this school in 1957/58, an improvised film that was released in a revised version in 1959.

The film became the prototype of independent American cinema that went against the Hollywood style. After the failures “Too Late Blues” (1961) and “A Child Is Waiting” (1962), Cassavetes founded his own film production company “Faces International Films” in 1963. He kept the company afloat in part by his fees, which he earned in films such as Death of a Killer (1964), The Dirty Dozen (1966) and Rosemary’s Baby (1967). After many years of work, Cassavetes presented the first film of his own production in 1968 with “Faces”. The film dealt with the issues of isolation and alienation, of identity quest and love, which now became the director’s core themes. Other hits included “Husbands” (1970), “The Killing of a Chinese Bookie” (1975) and “Opening Night” (1977).

After these films, Cassavetes turned again to the theater, which became his main field of activity. In addition, he only made a few films: in 1980 he presented the film “Gloria” for Columbia, in 1983 “Love Streams”, which won a Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival; he was also honored with the Nastro d”Argento. His last and most controversial film followed in 1985 with “Big Trouble”. In 1986 he received the Career Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. In 1997, his son Nick posthumously filmed his screenplay for “Everything from Love”.

John Cassavetes died on February 3, 1989 in Los Angeles.

Director

1958 – Shadows
1962 – A Child is Waiting
1968 – Faces
1970 – Husbands
1971 – Minnie and Moskowitz
1974 – Columbo: Schwanengesang (Swan song)
1972 – Columbo: Etude in Schwarz (Etude in black
1974 – A Woman Under the Influence
1976 – The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
1977 – The first performance (Opening Night)
1980 – Glory
1984 – Love Streams
1985 – Die… and Let Live (Big Trouble)

Actor

1955 – The night holds terror
1956 – A Man Conquers Fear (Edge of the City)
1956 – Unleashed Youth (Crime in the streets)
1957 – Saddle the wind
1958 – Shadows
1962 – A Child is Waiting
1964 – The Death of a Killer (The Killers)
1967 – The Dirty Dozen
1967 – Rebels in leather jackets (Devil’s angels)
1968 – The Unbeatables (Gli intoccabili)
1968 – Murder on Via Veneto (Roma come Chicago)
1969 – Rosemary”s Baby
1969 – That’s how we travel and that’s how we love (If It”s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium)
1971 – Husbands (Husbands)
1972 – Columbo: Etude in black
1973-76 Mikey and Nicky (Mikey and Nicky)
1975 – Capone
1975 – Two-minute warning
1977 – A very special place
1978 – Hidden Target (Brass Target)
1978 – Vicious Alpha (The Fury)
1980 – Isn’t this my life? (Whose life is it anyway?)
1981 – Incubus – Murderous Dreams (The Incubus)
1982 – The Tempest (A Comedy Surprise) (Tempest)
1984 – Love Streams

What happened to John Cassavetes?

A long-term alcoholic, Cassavetes died on February 3, 1989, at the age of 59, from complications of cirrhosis of the liver. He is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park cemetery in Los Angeles.

What is Cassavetes famous for?

John Cassavetes, (born December 9, 1929, New York, New York, U.S.—died February 3, 1989, Los Angeles, California), American film director and actor regarded as a pioneer of American cinema verité and as the father of the independent film movement in the United States.

Is Cassavetes son John Cassavetes?

Cassavetes was born in New York City, the son of Greek-American actor and film director John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands. As a child, he appeared in his father’s film Husbands (1970).

How old is John Cassavetes?

59 years

Did John Cassavetes have any children?

Nick Cassavetes

Zoe Cassavetes

Alexandra Cassavetes

Who is Cassavetes wife?

Gena Rowlands, byname of Virginia Cathryn Rowlands, (born June 19, 1930, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.), American actress who was perhaps best known for the 10 films she made with her husband, director John Cassavetes. Their most-notable collaborations were A Woman Under the Influence (1974) and Gloria (1980).

How tall is John Cassavetes?

1.7 m

How did Nick Cassavetes get so tall?

1.98 m

Where is Cassavetes buried?

Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue.

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