Voting Station

John Sayles

Please vote to return to collections.

Filmmaker

The Resume

    (September 28, 1950- )
    Born in Schenectady, New York
    Wrote and directed 'Return of the Secaucus 7' (1979), 'Baby It's You' (1983), 'The Brother From Another Planet' (1984), 'Matewan' (1987), 'Eight Men Out' (1988), 'City of Hope' (1991), 'Passion Fish' (1992), 'The Secret of Roan Innish' (1994), 'Lone Star' (1996), 'Limbo' (1999), 'Sunshine State' (2002), Silver City' (2004), 'Honeydripper' (2007) and 'Amigo' (2010)
    Wrote screenplays for 'Piranha' (1978), 'Alligator' (1980), 'Battle Beyond the Stars' (1981), 'The Howling' (1981), 'Clan of the Cave Bear' (1986) and 'Wild Thing' (1987)
    Appeared in the films 'Something Wild' (1986), 'Malcolm X' (1992), 'Matinee' (1993) and 'Gridlock'd' (1997)
    Created the TV series 'Shannon's Deal' (1989)
    Wrote the novels 'Pride of the Bimbos' (1975), 'Union Dues' (1977), 'Los Gusanos' (1991) and 'A Moment in the Sun' (2001)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was drafted, but was rejected by the Army because he was missing a vertebra (1968).
    Before going into films, he worked various odd jobs, including meat packer, construction worker, and orderly in a nursing home.
    He described his career arc as 'I was catapulted from total obscurity to relative obscurity.'
    He earns far more as an anonymous script doctor than as a director.
    He said, 'There seems to be a kind of mutual understanding between Hollywood and me. Most of what they make I wouldn't be interested in directing, and most of what I make they have no idea how to sell.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He won an O. Henry Award for his first published short story.
    He finances his films with the money he earns as a script doctor.
    He has been called the father of independent filmmaking.
    He frequently works with actors David Strathairn (his former college classmate) and Chris Cooper, casting them each in four of his films.
    He won a MacArthur Foundation 'genius grant.' (1983)
    He said about his refusal to work within the Hollywood system, 'If I never get to direct again, I will have made some movies I can feel proud of.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 95 Votes: 55.79% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 11 Votes: 18.18% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 11 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 20 Votes: 55.00% Annoying