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John Badham

Director

John Badham

Born August 25, 1939 in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, UK32 films

John MacDonald Badham (born August 25, 1939) is an British-born American director, best known for the films Saturday Night Fever (1977), Blue Thunder (1983), WarGames (1983), Short Circuit (1986), and Stakeout (1987).

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Badham worked in television for years, before his breakthrough in 1977 with Saturday Night Fever, a massive worldwide hit starring John Travolta. 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 being one of the first films to deal with the subculture 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.

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The best way into John Badham's work
WarGames posterFirst watchWarGames19837.1High school student David Lightman has a talent for hacking. But while trying to hack into a computer system to play unreleased video games, he unwittingly taps into the Department of…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Saturday Night Fever poster6.7Saturday Night Fever1977Short Circuit poster6.7Short Circuit1986Bird on a Wire poster6.2Bird on a Wire1990Nick of Time poster6.2Nick of Time1995Point of No Return poster6.2Point of No Return1993Stakeout poster6.5Stakeout1987Blue Thunder poster6.3Blue Thunder1983The Hard Way poster6.2The Hard Way1991

Filmography

32 films as director
  1. 2022MeatballsDirector
  2. 2004Evel KnievelDirector
  3. 2003FootstepsDirector
  4. 2002ObsessedDirector
  5. 2002Brother's KeeperDirector
  6. 2000The Last DebateDirector
  7. 1999The Jack BullDirector
  8. 1998Floating AwayDirector
  9. 1997IncognitoDirector
  10. 1995Nick of TimeDirector
  11. 1994Drop ZoneDirector
  12. 1993Another StakeoutDirector
  13. 1993Point of No ReturnDirector
  14. 1991The Hard WayDirector
  15. 1990Bird on a WireDirector
  16. 1987StakeoutDirector
  17. 1986Short CircuitDirector
  18. 1985American FlyersDirector
  19. 1983WarGamesDirector
  20. 1983Blue ThunderDirector
  21. 1981Whose Life Is It Anyway?Director
  22. 1979DraculaDirector
  23. 1977Saturday Night FeverDirector
  24. 1976The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor KingsDirector
  25. 1976The KeegansDirector
  26. 1974The GodchildDirector
  27. 1974Reflections of MurderDirector
  28. 1974The GunDirector
  29. 1974The LawDirector
  30. 1974Rex Harrison Presents Stories of LoveDirector
  31. 1973Isn't It Shocking?Director
  32. 1971The Impatient HeartDirector