Joe Dante

Personal Info

Known For
Directing
Born
November 28, 1946 (78 years old)
Place of Birth
Morristown, New Jersey, USA
Popular Genres
Documentary Comedy Horror
Career Span
– Present

Joe Dante

1 win
38 nominations
1 Oscar
119 credits

Joseph James Dante Jr. (born November 28, 1946) is an American filmmaker, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably Gremlins (1984) alongside its sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)—often mix the 1950s-style B movie genre with 1960s radicalism and cartoon comedy.

Dante's output includes the films Piranha (1978), The Howling (1981), Explorers (1985), Innerspace (1987), The 'Burbs (1989), Matinee (1993), Small Soldiers (1998), and Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). His work for television and cable include the social satire The Second Civil War (1997), episodes of the anthology series Masters of Horror ("Homecoming" and "The Screwfly Solution") and Amazing Stories, as well as Police Squad! and Hawaii Five-0.

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Personal Info

Born
Nov 28, 1946
From
Morristown, New Jersey, USA
Known For
Directing
Career
– Present

Award Recognition

1
Win
38
Nominations
1
Oscar

Complete Filmography

2025

The Creeps

2024

The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee as Self
Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters as Self
Sharksploitation as Self

2022

Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story as Self - Interviewee
In Search of Darkness: Part III as Self
In Search of Tomorrow as Self - Interviewee
Razzennest as Joe Dante
Soylent Green and Red Alert: When Reality Catches Up with Fiction as Self

2021

Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster as Self
Roger Corman, the Pope of Pop Cinema as Self
Blood, Guts and Sunshine: The History of Horror Made in Florida as Self [archival]

2020

Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies as Self Award
Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness as Host
Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and Camp as Host
Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi as Host
Tales of the Uncanny as Self
Bugs Bunny's 80th What's Up, Doc-umentary! as Himself (archive footage)
In Search of Darkness: Part II as Self

2019

Love, Antosha as Self Award
Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters as Self
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film as Self
In Search of Darkness as Self
Mark of The Beast: The Legacy of the Universal Werewolf as Self
Class of '79: 40 Years of Rock 'N' Roll High School

2018

King Cohen as Self
Sad Hill Unearthed as Self - Filmmaker
Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years as Self
The Fear is Real as Self

2017

Monstres, l'ennemi de l'intérieur as Self

2016

Long Live the King as himself
24×36 as Self
Unspeakable Horrors: The Plan 9 Conspiracy as Himself

2015

Tales of Halloween as Prof. Milo Gottlieb Award
Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex as Self
42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street as Himself
Eaten Alive! The Rise and Fall of the Italian Cannibal Film

2014

That Guy Dick Miller as Self
Out of Print as Self
From Gizmo to Gremlins: Creating the Creatures as Self
Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous: Making Gremlins as Self
There Goes the Neighborhood: The Making of The 'Burbs as Self
We Come In Pieces: The Rebirth of the Horror Anthology Film as Self
Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror as Self - Director

2013

Blast Vegas as Salesman #2
A Fuller Life as Self - Reader (segment "Sicily Black and Blue")
House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before! as Self

2012

The Butterfly Room as Cab Driver
Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan as Self
The Birds: Hitchcock's Monster Movie as Self
The Flesh and the Fury: X-posing Twins of Evil
Trailer War as Himself
To Be... A Film Favorite

2011

Corman's World as Self - Filmmaker Award
American Grindhouse as Himself
A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas! as Self - Interviewee
The Future of Fear as Self
Produce Your Own Damn Movie! as Self

2010

Machete Maidens Unleashed! as Self Award
The Man Who Saw Frankenstein Cry as Self
Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr. as Self
The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth as Self
The Bloodiest Show on Earth: Making Vampire Circus as Self

2009

Direct Your Own Damn Movie! as Self
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue as Self
Coming Attractions: The History of the Movie Trailer as Self
Monsterland as Self
Fulci in the House: The Italian Master of Splatter as Himself

2008

Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX as Self

2007

Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story as Self Award
The Return of the Living Dead: The Decade of Darkness as Self
Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman as Self
The Hatching of Spider Baby as Himself
Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein as Himself

2006

Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet as Self
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon as Self
Hitchcocked! as Self
Lugosi: The Dark Prince as Self
Karloff: The Gentle Monster as Self

2005

The Perfect Scary Movie as Self
Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy
Behind the Tunes: Looney Tunes Go to War! as Himself
Behind the Tunes: Bosko, Buddy and the Best of Black and White as Himself
Behind the Tunes: Tish Tash - The Animated World of Frank Tashlin as Himself
RKO Production 601: The Making of 'Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World' as Self

2004

Männer im Trenchcoat, Frauen im Pelz as Self
Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen as Self
Mario Bava: Operazione paura as Self
Welcome to Werewolfland

2003

Unleashing the Beast: Making ‘The Howling’

2002

Cinerama Adventure as Self

2001

It Conquered Hollywood! The Story of American International Pictures as Self
Making The Earth Stand Still as Self

2000

Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation as Self
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre as Self

1999

Ray Harryhausen: Working with Dinosaurs as Self
She's Alive! Creating 'The Bride of Frankenstein' as Self / Host

1997

Hollywood Rated 'R' as Self

1994

Beverly Hills Cop III as Jailer Award
A Century of Cinema as Self
Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror as Self
The Silence of the Hams as Dying Man

1992

Sleepwalkers as Lab Assistant Award
The Magical World of Chuck Jones as Self
Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion as Himself

1991

Oscar as Face on the Cutting Room Floor Award

1990

Gremlins 2: The New Batch as Grandpa Fred Director (uncredited) Award

1987

Innerspace as Vectorscope Employee (uncredited) Award

1986

The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal as Self

1982

Eating Raoul as Busboy (uncredited) Award

1981

Making a Monster Movie: Inside 'the Howling' as Self

1978

Piranha as Scuba Diver #2 (uncredited) Award
Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel as Self

1976

Cannonball as Kid Award
Hollywood Boulevard as Party Waiter (uncredited) Award

1975

Tidal Wave

Mary Woronov: Cult Queen
Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director as Himself
The Reality Trip as self

Photos & Videos

Featured in Trailers

Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Beverly Hills Cop III
Innerspace
Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies
Piranha
Cannonball
Eating Raoul
Tales of Halloween
Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness

Career Statistics

Roles by Genre
Genre Evolution