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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Amy Saltz to David Selby
John Sayles Biography (1950-)
Full name, John Thomas Sayles; born September 28, 1950, in Schenectady, NY; son of Donald John (a school administrator) and Mary (a teacher; maiden name,Rausch) Sayles; companion of Maggie Renzi (a producer and actress). Addresses: Agent: Stuart Robinson, Paradigm, 10100 Santa Monica Blvd., 25th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90067-4003.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Writer, director, film editor, actor
- Birth Details
- September 28, 1950
- Schenectady, New York, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Film Work
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Director
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The Return of the Secaucus 7, Libra, 1980
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Baby, It's You, Paramount, 1983
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Lianna, United Artists Classics, 1983
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The Brother from Another Planet, Cinecom International, 1984
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Matewan, Cinecom International, 1987
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Eight Men Out, Cinecom International, 1988
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City of Hope, Samuel Goldwyn, 1991
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Passion Fish, Miramax, 1992
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The Secret of Roan Inish, First Look Pictures Releasing, 1995
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Lone Star, Columbia/TriStar, 1996
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Men with Guns (also known as Hombres armados), Sony Pictures Classics, 1997
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Limbo, Screen Gems, 1999
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Casa de los Babys, 2002
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Sunshine State, Sony Pictures Classics, 2002
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Executive Producer
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Santitos (also known as Esperanza et ses saints), 1997
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Girlfight, Screen Gems, 2000
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Editor
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The Return of the Secaucus 7, Libra, 1980
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Lianna, United Artists Classics, 1983
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The Brother from Another Planet, Cinecom International, 1984
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City of Hope, Samuel Goldwyn, 1991
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Passion Fish, Miramax, 1992
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The Secret of Roan Inish, First Look Pictures Releasing, 1995
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Lone Star, Columbia/TriStar, 1996
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Men with Guns (also known as Hombres armados), Sony Pictures Classics, 1997
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Limbo, Screen Gems, 1999
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Sunshine State, Sony Pictures Classics, 2002
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Film Appearances
- Army sentry, Piranha, New World Pictures, 1978
- Howie, The Return of the Secaucus 7, Libra, 1980
- Morgue attendant, The Howling, Avco-Embassy, 1981
- Jerry, Lianna, United Artists Classics, 1983
- Bounty hunter, The Brother from Another Planet, Cinecom International, 1984
- Don, Hard Choices, Lorimar, 1986
- Motorcycle cop, Something Wild (also known as Dangereuse sous tous rapports), Orion, 1986
- Hardshell preacher, Matewan, Cinecom International, 1987
- Ring Lardner, Eight Men Out, Cinecom International, 1988
- Military high commissioner, Untamagiru, Parco, 1989
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La fine della notte, Pagnoni, 1989
- Mike, Little Vegas, IRS Releasing, 1990
- Carl, City of Hope, Samuel Goldwyn, 1991
- Doctor in soap opera, Passion Fish, Miramax, 1992
- F.B.I. agent, Malcolm X, Warner Bros., 1992
- Guy Girardi, Straight Talk, Buena Vista, 1992
- Bob, Matinee, Universal, 1993
- Marginal producer, My Life's in Turnaround, Arrow, 1993
- First police officer, Gridlock'd, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, 1997
- Himself, American Storytellers (documentary), Clearwater Pictures/Magnum Independent Pictures, 2000
- Science teacher, Girlfight, Screen Gems, 2000
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Television Appearances
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Miniseries
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Naked Hollywood, Arts & Entertainment, 1991
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Baseball, PBS, 1994
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Episodic
- Roy "Lefty" Cobbs, "The Case of the Unnatural," Mathnet, PBS, 1992
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The Panel, 10 Network, 1999
- Also appeared in an episode of Independent Focus, Independent FilmChannel.
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Other
- Lloyd, Unnatural Causes (movie), NBC, 1986
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Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western (special), TNT, 1997
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Television Work
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Director; Episodic
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Shannon's Deal, NBC, episodes between 1990 and 1991
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Other
- (Creator) Shannon's Deal (series), NBC, 1989
- Also associated with the special Mountain View.
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Stage Work
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Director
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New Hope for the Dead (one-act), Boat Basin Theatre, New York City, 1981
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Turnbuckle (one-act), Boat Basin Theatre, 1981
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RECORDINGS
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Videos
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Film-Fest DVD: Issue 2--Cannes, Broadcast DVD, 1999
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WRITINGS
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Screenplays
- (And story) Piranha, New World Pictures, 1978
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The Lady in Red (also known as Guns, Sin, and Bathtub Gin and Kiss Me and Die), New World Pictures, 1979
- (Author of story) Battle beyond the Stars, New World Pictures, 1980
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The Return of the Secaucus 7, Libra, 1980
- (And story with Frank Ray Perilli) Alligator, BLC, 1981
- (With Terence H. Winkless) The Howling (based on a novel by Gary Brandner), Avco-Embassy, 1981
- (With Richard Maxwell) The Challenge (also known as Equalsand Sword of the Ninja), CBS Entertainment Productions, 1982
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Baby, It's You (adapted from story by Amy Robinson), Paramount, 1983
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Lianna, United Artists Classics, 1983
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The Brother from Another Planet, Cinecom International, 1984
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The Clan of the Cave Bear (based on a novel by Jean Auel), WarnerBros., 1986
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Matewan, Cinecom International, 1987
- (And story with Larry Stamper) Wild Thing, Atlantic, 1987
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Eight Men Out (adapted from book by Eliot Asinof), Cinecom International, 1988
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Breaking In, Samuel Goldwyn, 1989
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City of Hope, Samuel Goldwyn, 1991
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Passion Fish, Miramax, 1992
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Bedlam, 1994
- (With Ethan Rieff and Cyrus Voris) Men of War (also known as ASafe Place,
Soldiers of Fortune, and Hombres de acero), Miramax, 1994
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Apollo 13, Universal, 1995
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The Quick and the Dead, Columbia/TriStar, 1995
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The Secret of Roan Inish (based on the novel Secret of the RonMor Skerry, by Rosalie K. Fry), First Look Pictures Releasing, 1995
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Lone Star, Columbia/TriStar, 1996
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Men with Guns (also known as Hombres armados), Sony Pictures Classics, 1997
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Mimic (also known as Judas), Dimension, 1997
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Alligatropolis, 1999
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Limbo, Screen Gems, 1999
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Casa de los Babys, 2002
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Sunshine State, Sony Pictures Classics, 2002
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Film Music
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Songs
- "Homeboy" and "Promised Land," The Brother from Another Planet, Cinecom International, 1984
- "I Be Blue," Eight Men Out, Cinecom International, 1988
- "Calle Loca," City of Hope, Samuel Goldwyn, 1991
- "Guide Us to Thy Side," The Newton Boys, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1998
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Teleplays
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Movies
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A Perfect Match, CBS, 1980
- (With Susan Rice) Enormous Changes at the Last Minute (also knownas Enormous Changes and Trumps; based on stories by Grace Paley), ABC, 1983
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Unnatural Causes, NBC, 1986
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Pilots
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Shannon's Deal, NBC, 1989
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Television Music
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Lyrics; Pilots
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Shannon's Deal, NBC, 1989
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Stage Plays
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New Hope for the Dead (one-act), produced at Boat Basin Theatre, New York City, 1981
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Turnbuckle (one-act), produced at Boat Basin Theatre, 1981
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Novels
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The Pride of the Bimbos, Little, Brown (Boston), 1975
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Union Dues, Little, Brown, 1977
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Los Gusanos, HarperCollins (New York City), 1991
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Short Stories
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The Anarchists' Convention and Other Stories (contains "Breed," "Golden State," "Hoop," "I-80 Nebraska," and "M.490-M.205"), Little, Brown (Boston), 1979
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Nonfiction
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Thinking in Pictures: The Making of the Movie "Matewan," HoughtonMifflin (Boston), 1987
- (With Gavin Smith) Sayles on Sayles (interviews), Faber & Faber, 1998
- Contributor of short stories and articles to periodicals, including Atlantic,
Esquire,
Film Comment,
New Republic, and Rolling Stone.
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Books
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Contemporary Authors New Revision Series, Volume 41, Gale, 1993
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International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 2: Directors, St. James Press, 1996
- Molyneaux, Gerry, John Sayles: An Unauthorized Biography, Renaissance Books, 2000
- Ryan, Jack, John Sayles, Filmmaker: A Critical Study of the Independent Writer-Director; with a Filmography and a Bibliography, McFarland and Co., 1998
- Sayles, John, and Gavin Smith, Sayles on Sayles, Faber & Faber, 1998
Periodicals
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American Film, June, 1991, pp. 18-23, 49-50
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Booklist, March 15, 1998, p. 1194
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Chicago Tribune, March 2, 1981; August 20, 1985; September 2, 1988
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Cineaste, summer, 1996, p. 14; fall, 1999, p. 28
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Entertainment Weekly, December 1, 1995, p. 89; June 21, 1996, p. 47; December 27, 1996, p. 38; November/December, 1997, p. 64
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Globe and Mail (Toronto), June 15, 1991
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Insight on the News, August 19, 1996, p. 36
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Los Angeles Times, October 11, 1984; October 20, 1984; January 24,1986; September 11, 1987, pp. 1, 26; October 25, 1987, pp. 3-5, 99-100; September 2, 1988
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National Catholic Reporter, April 10, 1998, p. 20
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New Statesman and Society, November 15, 1991, p. 37; September 18,1998, p. 39
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New York Times, August 9, 1977; September 3, 1979, p. C12; April 11, 1980; April 11, 1985; January 17, 1986; August 23, 1987; August 28, 1987;October 9, 1989
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New York Times Biographical Service, September, 1981, p. 1275
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Playboy, July, 1996, p. 22
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Premiere, July, 1996, pp. 40, 49-51; July, 1999, pp. 90-95, 110; May, 2002, p. 88
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Sight and Sound, Volume 6, number 9, 1996
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Time, January 25, 1993, p. 69
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Washington Post, November 16, 1984, pp. C1, C4; February 25, 1986;October 15, 1987; October 16, 1987; September 2, 1988
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