John Cassavetes

Biography

John Cassavetes (New York, 1929 – Los Angeles, 1989) was an American actor, screenwriter and director, regarded as a pioneer and one of the central figures of American independent film. He began his career as an actor in films and on television, but became best known as a filmmaker who wrote, directed, produced and distributed his own work, often with his own money. His working method, which was studied in many publications, was widely imitated later.

Born to a Greek-American family, he trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in the early 1950s, in a milieu shaped by the Actors Studio and the teachings of Lee Strasberg. After touring and a stint on Broadway, he married the actress Gena Rowlands in 1954. She would become his muse and one of his main performers. His career first took shape in television, in the anthology drama series of the so-called Golden Age, before he returned to the stage. His first notable film roles came in 1956 and 1957, including Edge of the City, opposite Sidney Poitier.

His move into directing came with Shadows (1959), made with little-known actors, on natural locations and with funds raised partly from friends and from listeners of a radio show. It grew out of improvisation. He let the actors move without floor marks and refused to offer a conventional dramatic ending. The film took time to find an audience, and Cassavetes reworked it, which brought him international attention, especially in Europe. To finance his independent projects he accepted studio and television work, and he directed several episodes of the series Johnny Staccato.

During the following decade he focused on dramas about marriage, relationships and everyday tension, often shot in his own home with a circle of regular actors. Husbands (1970) and A Woman Under the Influence (1974) earned him critical prestige, and the latter brought an Oscar nomination for Best Director. Gloria (1980) won the Golden Lion at Venice. As an actor, his role in The Dirty Dozen, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and in Rosemary's Baby brought him wider recognition beyond independent cinema.

Cassavetes died in Los Angeles in 1989. His influence can be seen in later filmmakers who pursued low-budget productions and spontaneous performances. His children Nick, Alexandra and Zoe also built careers in film, and his work remains a reference point for American independent cinema.

Key films

• Shadows (1959): his first film as a director, a portrait of young New Yorkers that marked the start of American independent cinema.
• Husbands (1970): a drama about male friendship after the death of a friend, built on improvisation and close framing.
• A Woman Under the Influence (1974): a portrait of a woman who unravels in front of her family, nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director.
• Opening Night (1977): a stage actress confronts her own crisis during the opening of a play.
• Gloria (1980): an action film about a woman who protects a boy, winner of the Golden Lion in Venice.