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John Badham is a Actor, Director and Producer British born on 25 august 1939 at Luton (United-kingdom)

John Badham

John Badham
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Birth name John MacDonald Badham
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 25 august 1939 (85 years) at Luton (United-kingdom)

John MacDonald Badham (born August 25, 1939) is an English-born American film director, best known for the films Saturday Night Fever (1977), Blue Thunder (1983), WarGames (1983), Short Circuit (1986), Stakeout (1987), Bird on a Wire (1990) and others.

Biography

John Badham was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, the son of U.S. Army General Henry Lee Badham, Jr. and English-born actress Mary Iola Badham, née Hewitt. Badham's father, Henry Lee Badham, Jr. was a native of Birmingham, Alabama, the son of Henry Lee Badham, Sr. and Lottie Badham, née Austin. John Badham's parents and paternal grandparents are buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham. Henry Lee Badham, Jr. was an aviator in both World Wars and was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame in 2007. After retirement from the U.S. Air Force as a Brigadier General, Henry Lee Badham, Jr. became a businessman, and was involved with the development of the Ensley and Bessemer regions near Birmingham, Alabama. This same line of business had brought his father, Henry Lee Badham, Sr., into association with Walker Percy, grandfather of writer Walker Percy.

John Badham spent his first years in England. His family moved to the United States following World War II and settled in Mountain Brook, a suburb of Henry Lee Badham, Jr.'s native Birmingham, where John Badham was raised. He attended the Indian Springs School in Indian Springs Village and college at Yale University.

Badham worked in television for years before his breakthrough in 1977 with Saturday Night Fever. Starring John Travolta, the film is recognized as the most representational of the 1970s disco era. WarGames (1983), starring Matthew Broderick, is his other signature film, renowned for its take on popular Cold War fears of nuclear terror and holocaust as well as of amateur hacking.

In addition to his numerous film credits, Badham has also directed and produced for TV, including credits for Rod Serling's Night Gallery and the A&E television series The Beast. He has also contributed commentary to the web series Trailers From Hell.

Best films

Saturday Night Fever (1977)
(Director)
Bird on a Wire (1990)
(Director)
WarGames (1983)
(Director)
Stakeout (1987)
(Director)
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)
(Executive Producer)
Blue Thunder (1983)
(Director)

Usually with

Frank Morriss
Frank Morriss
(17 films)
D.J. Caruso
D.J. Caruso
(6 films)
Jim Kouf
Jim Kouf
(3 films)
Rob Cohen
Rob Cohen
(5 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of John Badham (28 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

The Last Debate
Directed by John Badham
Genres Drama
Actors James Garner, Peter Gallagher, Audra McDonald, Marco Sanchez, Donna Murphy, Dorian Harewood
Roles Don Beard
Rating59% 2.9532152.9532152.9532152.9532152.953215
A televised presidential debate has a conspiracy behind it.
Drop Zone
Drop Zone (1994)
, 1h41
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about terrorism, Transport films, Aviation films, Disaster films, Films about aviation accidents or incidents
Actors Wesley Snipes, Gary Busey, Yancy Butler, Michael Jeter, Kyle Secor, Corin Nemec
Roles Yacht Captain (uncredited)
Rating56% 2.801072.801072.801072.801072.80107
Aboard a commercial airliner, U.S. Marshals Terry (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) and Pete Nessip (Wesley Snipes), are escorting computer expert Earl Leedy (Michael Jeter) to a high security prison. When an apparent terrorist hijack attempt blows a hole in the airplane (Boeing 747), Terry is sucked out to his death, and the terrorists parachute out of the same hole, taking Leedy with them.
Point of No Return, 1h41
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Martial arts, Action, Adventure, Crime, Martial arts
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films
Actors Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Miguel Ferrer, Dermot Mulroney, Anne Bancroft, Harvey Keitel
Roles Room-Service Waiter
Rating61% 3.051073.051073.051073.051073.05107
Maggie Hayward (Bridget Fonda) is a drug addict found guilty of murdering a police officer, and is sentenced to death by lethal injection. Her death is faked, and a secret government agent named Bob (Gabriel Byrne) informs her that she has to become an operative. Maggie, having little choice, agrees to cooperate and she begins a regimen of intensive training that includes etiquette and computer use.
Another Stakeout, 1h45
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Crime
Themes Buddy films
Actors Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez, Rosie O'Donnell, Dennis Farina, Marcia Strassman, Cathy Moriarty
Rating55% 2.7996552.7996552.7996552.7996552.799655
A witness against the Mafia is being secretly held until the trial when a violent attempt against her that kills several of her guards, as well as her husband, is made. She disappears and Chris Lecce (Dreyfuss) and Bill Reimers (Estevez) are called upon due to their excellent surveillance record, to stake out a lakeside home where she is believed to be. Unlike their earlier stakeout, this time they are accompanied by Gina Garrett (O'Donnell) from the DA's office and her pet rottweiler 'Archie', covered as husband, wife and son.
Short Circuit, 1h34
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Action, Adventure, Comic science fiction
Themes Comedy science fiction films, Robot films
Actors Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton, G. W. Bailey, Brian McNamara
Roles Cameraman (uncredited)
Rating65% 3.2999253.2999253.2999253.2999253.299925
Number 5 is part of a series of prototype U.S. military S.A.I.N.T. (Strategic Artificially Intelligent Nuclear Transport) robots built for the Cold War by NOVA Laboratories. The series' inventors, Newton Graham Crosby and Ben Jabituya, are more interested in peaceful applications including music and social aid. After a demonstration of the robots' capabilities, Number 5 is hit by a lightning-induced power surge, erasing its programming and giving it a sense of free will. Several incidents allow the robot to escape the facility accidentally, barely able to communicate and uncertain of its directive. In Astoria, Oregon, Stephanie Speck (who cares for animals and mistakes Number 5 for an extraterrestrial visitor) grants Number 5 access to books, television, and other stimuli, to satisfy his hunger for 'input'; whereupon Number 5 develops a whimsical and curious childlike personality. When Stephanie realizes Number 5 is a military invention, she contacts NOVA who send out a team to recover him, bringing one of the other robots along to help. When Number 5 accidentally crushes a grasshopper and gains an understanding of mortality, he concludes that if NOVA disassembles him he too will cease to be alive. Horrified, Number 5 steals Stephanie's van and flees; but the pair are cornered by NOVA, including Newton and Ben. Although Stephanie attempts to reveal his newly discovered sentience, Number 5 is deactivated and captured. Being taken on the way to NOVA, he manages to turn himself back on and escapes despite a tracker that had been placed on him. Returning to Stephanie for protection, Number 5's unusual actions catch the attention of his creators, but NOVA's CEO Dr. Howard Marner turns a deaf ear to their wild hypothesis.
Blue Thunder, 1h49
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime
Themes Transport films, Aviation films
Actors Roy Scheider, Malcolm McDowell, Warren Oates, Candy Clark, Daniel Stern, Joe Santos
Rating63% 3.197973.197973.197973.197973.19797
Francis McNeil "Frank" Murphy (Roy Scheider) is a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) helicopter-pilot-officer and troubled Vietnam War veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His newly assigned field partner is Richard Lymangood (Daniel Stern). The two patrol Los Angeles at night and give assistance to police forces on the ground.
Saturday Night Fever, 1h59
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Dance films, Films about music and musicians, Films about sexuality, Musical films, Striptease
Actors John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Barry Miller, Paul Pape, Donna Pescow, Fran Drescher
Roles Pedestrian #1 (uncredited)
Rating67% 3.3988853.3988853.3988853.3988853.398885
Anthony "Tony" Manero (John Travolta) is a 19-year-old Italian American man from the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. Tony lives with his parents (Val Bisoglio and Julie Bovasso), and works at a dead-end job in a small hardware store. The stagnant monotony of his life is temporarily dispelled every Saturday night when Tony is "king of the dance floor" at 2001 Odyssey, a local disco club. Tony has four close friends: Joey (Joseph Cali); Double J (Paul Pape); Gus (Bruce Ornstein); and the diminutive Bobby C. (Barry Miller). A fringe member of this group of friends is Annette (Donna Pescow), a neighborhood girl who longs for a more permanent physical relationship with Tony.

Director

Obsessed
Obsessed (2002)
, 1h30
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller
Actors Jenna Elfman, Kate Burton, Lisa Edelstein, Mark Camacho, Charles Edwin Powell, Sam Robards
Rating56% 2.8019052.8019052.8019052.8019052.801905
Ellena, une sublime jeune femme, accusée de harcèlement, prétend qu'elle aurait entretenu une relation passionnelle avec David Stillman, un chirurgien de renom. Étrangement, l'intéressé soutient tout le contraire : il n'aurait jamais eu de liaison avec la sulfureuse Ellena. L'éminent médecin nie catégoriquement avoir, comme l'affirme sa prétendue maîtresse, envisagé de quitter son épouse. L'avocate Sara Miller a tranché : elle s'apprête à défendre Ellena devant la justice. Elle est persuadée de son innocence...
The Last Debate
Directed by John Badham
Genres Drama
Actors James Garner, Peter Gallagher, Audra McDonald, Marco Sanchez, Donna Murphy, Dorian Harewood
Rating59% 2.9532152.9532152.9532152.9532152.953215
A televised presidential debate has a conspiracy behind it.
The Jack Bull, 1h56
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Western
Actors John Cusack, John Goodman, L. Q. Jones, Miranda Otto, John Savage, John C. McGinley
Rating67% 3.3960353.3960353.3960353.3960353.396035
The Jack Bull is about a normal horse trader, Myrl Redding (John Cusack), who cherishes the law and his rights. He lives a normal life with his son, Cage (Drake Bell), his wife Cora (Miranda Otto) and his good friends. However he clashed one day with land baron Henry Ballard (L. Q. Jones) over Wyoming's bid for statehood. If Wyoming remains a territory, Henry Ballard can continue to buy more land and eventually evict its residents; however if Wyoming becomes a state then his rights to the land will be restricted. After further conflict with Ballard, Redding attempts to take his horses to a horse market in Casper. However he encounters Ballard, who has built a tollgate that blocks the road to Casper, charging a fee for passage. Redding realizes going around would take too long to get the horses to market on time, with the market closed before he could arrive. Ballard tells Redding that he will allow Redding to cross with a fee of ten dollars. Redding gives him five and leaves two black stallions as collateral for the other five. He also leaves his Indian friend and worker Billy to make sure the horses are not mistreated. Redding arrives at Casper on time and sells his horses, with the exception of the two he left behind and makes his way back to his home. He stops for his horses and finds Billy is missing and his horses are starved, diseased, beaten, and near death. He beats one of Ballard's henchmen and demands that his horses be returned healthy and fed. Ballard says he'll never do it and Redding leaves, saying he has two weeks to comply with his demands. Ballard ignores him and returns to his normal life.
Floating Away
Directed by John Badham
Genres Drama
Actors Rosanna Arquette, Paul Hogan, Judge Reinhold, Brendan Fletcher
Rating58% 2.905212.905212.905212.905212.90521
Maurey a grandi heureuse dans le ranch de son père. Mais sa vie tourne au cauchemar, Le décès de son père, et un mariage raté dont il ne reste qu'un fils Brad, Elle sombre dans l'alcool et tentative de suicide. Mais sa rencontre avec Shane et Lloyd va bouleverser sa vie et l'entrainer dans un voyage parsemé d'aventures, d'embûches et de rebondissements...
Incognito
Incognito (1997)
, 1h48
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Crime, Romance
Actors Jason Patric, Irène Jacob, Ian William Richardson, Rod Steiger, Ian Holm, Togo Igawa
Rating63% 3.1959553.1959553.1959553.1959553.195955
Talented New York painter Harry Donovan is an expert of copying famous artists' paintings, but is struggling to become a legitimate artist in his own right. Until now, he has avoided detection by forging third and fourth tier masters, but that is about to change. Frustrated by the cancellation of an exhibition of his paintings, Harry accepts a job forging a long lost Rembrandt for $500 million from three art dealer clients—Alistair Davies (Thomas Lockyer), Ian Hill, and Agachi—against the wishes of his artist father who wants his son to give up forgery and concentrate on his own work.
Nick of Time, 1h30
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Assassinat, Political films
Actors Johnny Depp, Christopher Walken, Yul Vazquez, Charles Dutton, Edith Diaz, Roma Maffia
Rating62% 3.149193.149193.149193.149193.14919
The film opens with Gene Watson (Johnny Depp), a mild-mannered, widowed accountant arriving with his daughter Lynn at the Union Station in Los Angeles. As Watson makes a pay phone call informing an unidentified person that his train was late, two mysterious strangers in suits, known only as Mr. Smith (Christopher Walken) and Ms. Jones (Roma Maffia), survey the station from a catwalk, discussing a yet-to-be-elaborated scheme. Noticing Watson retaliate against a skater who was harassing his daughter, Smith and Jones set their sights on him and swiftly approach the pair. Showing a badge, the two strangers convince Watson that they are police officers and whisk both father and daughter into a van without justification. Once in the vehicle, Watson begins to notice things are not right and gets nervous, but Smith subsequently pistol whips him in the leg to get his attention. Smith then informs Watson that they will kill his daughter by 1:30 p.m. unless he murders a woman depicted in a photograph. He soon learns that the woman is State Governor Eleanor Grant and realizes that killing her would be a suicide mission.
Drop Zone
Drop Zone (1994)
, 1h41
Directed by John Badham
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about terrorism, Transport films, Aviation films, Disaster films, Films about aviation accidents or incidents
Actors Wesley Snipes, Gary Busey, Yancy Butler, Michael Jeter, Kyle Secor, Corin Nemec
Rating56% 2.801072.801072.801072.801072.80107
Aboard a commercial airliner, U.S. Marshals Terry (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) and Pete Nessip (Wesley Snipes), are escorting computer expert Earl Leedy (Michael Jeter) to a high security prison. When an apparent terrorist hijack attempt blows a hole in the airplane (Boeing 747), Terry is sucked out to his death, and the terrorists parachute out of the same hole, taking Leedy with them.