John David Landis (born August 3, 1950) is an American
film director,
screenwriter,
actor, and
producer. He is known for his
comedies and his
music videos with singer
Michael Jackson; Landis has also done many
horror projects.
Early life and family
Landis was born in
Chicago, the son of Shirley Levine (
née Magaziner) and Marshall David Landis, an interior decorator.
[John Landis Biography — Yahoo! Movies][John Landis Biography (1950 – )] He moved with his family to
Los Angeles at the age of four months.
Early career
His career began as a teenager, working as a mailboy at
20th Century Fox. His first noteworthy job in Hollywood was working as an
assistant director during filming MGM's
Kelly's Heroes in
Yugoslavia in
1969. He replaced the film's original assistant director, who suffered from a nervous breakdown and was sent home by the producers.
