John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950) is an American writer and director known for making acclaimed independent films, usually about everyday people in North America. He is also a well-known uncredited script doctor (usually to finance his directorial projects) and has one of the most eclectic filmographies of any filmmaker. He is also a published author and has worked in television.
List of films written, produced and/or directed by John Sayles:
- Piranha (not the just the 1978 original, but the 1995 TV version and as a script doctor on Piranha 3D as well)
- The Lady in Red (1979)
- Alligator (1980)
- Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)
- Return of the Secaucus Seven (1980)
- The Howling (1981)
- The Challenge (1982)
- Baby, It's You (1983)
- Lianna (1983)
- The Brother from Another Planet (1984)
- The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986)
- Matewan (1987)
- Wild Thing (1987)
- Eight Men Out (1988) (he also appears in the film as Ring Lardner, one of the two reporters who exposed the Black Sox Scandal. When he first started working on it he hoped to play pitcher Eddie Cicotte, but by the time production started he realized he'd aged out of the role and gave it to David Strathairn)
- Breaking In (1989)
- City of Hope (1991)
- Passion Fish (1992)
- The Fugitive (1993) (script doctor)
- Men of War (1994)
- The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
- Apollo 13 (1995) (script doctor)
- Lone Star (1996)
- Men with Guns (1997)
- Mimic (1997) (script doctor)
- Limbo (1999)
- Girlfight (2000)
- Sunshine State (2002)
- Silver City (2004)
- Honeydripper (2007)
- The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
- Amigo (2010)
- Go for Sisters (2013)
