John Guilbert Avildsen (born December 21, 1935) is an American
film director. He won the
Academy Award for Best Director in 1977 for
Rocky. Other films he directed include
Joe,
Save the Tiger,
Fore Play,
The Formula,
Neighbors,
For Keeps,
Lean on Me,
The Power of One,
8 Seconds,
Inferno,
Rocky V and the first three
Karate Kid movies.