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John Sayles

John Sayles

Directing·1950·72 films

John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist.

As Director

As Actor

Malcolm X
Malcolm X (1992)FBI Agent
The Howling
The Howling (1981)Morgue Attendant (uncredited)
Piranha
Piranha (1978)Army Sentry (uncredited)
In the Electric Mist
In the Electric Mist (2009)Michael Goldman
Something Wild
Something Wild (1986)Motorcycle Cop
Matinee
Matinee (1993)Bob
Eight Men Out
Eight Men Out (1988)Ring Lardner
Gridlock'd
Gridlock'd (1997)Cop #1
Girlfight
Girlfight (2000)Science Teacher
Matewan
Matewan (1987)Hardshell Preacher
The Brother from Another Planet
The Brother from Another Planet (1984)Man in Black
Corman's World
Corman's World (2011)Self - Filmmaker
Straight Talk
Straight Talk (1992)Guy Girardi
Return of the Secaucus Seven
Return of the Secaucus Seven (1980)Howie
Passion Fish
Passion Fish (1992)Soap Opera Doctor (uncredited)
Casting By
Casting By (2012)Self
Sunshine State
Sunshine State (2002)Man who almost got hit by a golf ball (uncredited)
Honeydripper
Honeydripper (2007)Zeke
City of Hope
City of Hope (1991)Carl
Lianna
Lianna (1983)Jerry
That Guy Dick Miller
That Guy Dick Miller (2014)Self
Great Directors
Great Directors (2009)Self
A Constant Forge
A Constant Forge (2000)Self
Tell Them Who You Are
Tell Them Who You Are (2004)Self
Untamagiru
Untamagiru (1989)US High Commissioner
Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi
Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi (2020)Self
Texas Red
Texas Red (2021)Governor Johnson (voice)
Unnatural Causes
Unnatural Causes (1986)Lloyd
Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press
Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press (2008)Self
My Life's in Turnaround
My Life's in Turnaround (1994)Marginal producer
Hard Choices
Hard Choices (1985)Don
The Toe Tactic
The Toe Tactic (2009)Cramden
Edge of Outside
Edge of Outside (2006)Self
The Normals
The Normals (2012)Dr. Marx
Corona Film Club
Corona Film Club (2021)Self
La fine della notte
La fine della notte (1989)Wayne
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western (1997)Self
Little Vegas
Little Vegas (1990)Mike
Unleashing the Beast: Making ‘The Howling’
Unleashing the Beast: Making ‘The Howling’ (2003)
Algren
Algren (2021)Self
Them That Work
Them That Work (2019)Self
Howard Zinn: Voices of a People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn: Voices of a People's History of the United States (2006)Self
The Third Man: A Filmmaker's Influence
The Third Man: A Filmmaker's Influence (2015)Self
John Sayles and Gregory Nava
John Sayles and Gregory Nava (2024)Themself
The Umbrella
The Umbrella (2016)Pastor Jim

As Writer