
Joe Dante
Known for Directing · 140 credits
- Born
- 1946-11-28 (age 79)
- Place of birth
- Morristown, New Jersey, USA
- Also known as
- Joseph James Dante Jr.
Biography
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.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Joe Dante, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
TV Shows (9)

Great Performances
1971
as Self

Eli Roth's History of Horror
2018
as Self

Eerie, Indiana
1991
as Director

The Real History of Science Fiction
2014
as Himself

Leçon de Cinéma
2004
as Self

100 Scariest Movie Moments
2004
as Self

The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time
2022
as Self

Charles Band’s Full Moon Freakshow
2022

Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time
2020
as Self - Host
Movies (131)

Gremlins
1984
as Mogwai / Gremlins (voice) (uncredited)

Sleepwalkers
1992
as Lab Assistant

Innerspace
1987
as Vectorscope Employee (uncredited)

Gremlins 2: The New Batch
1990
as Grandpa Fred Director (uncredited)

Piranha
1978
as Scuba Diver #2 (uncredited)

Oscar
1991
as Face on the Cutting Room Floor

Beverly Hills Cop III
1994
as Jailer

Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies
2020
as Self

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing
2004
as Self

American Grindhouse
2011
as Himself

Cannonball
1976
as Kid

Corman's World
2011
as Self - Filmmaker

The Silence of the Hams
1994
as Dying Man

The Creeps
2025
as Uncle John

Eating Raoul
1982
as Busboy (uncredited)

Tales of Halloween
2015
as Prof. Milo Gottlieb

Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness
2020
as Host

Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation
2000
as Self

Love, Antosha
2019
as Self

In Search of Tomorrow
2022
as Self - Interviewee

Sharksploitation
2024
as Self

The Butterfly Room
2012
as Cab Driver

Machete Maidens Unleashed!
2010
as Self

In Search of Darkness: Part II
2020
as Self

Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi
2020
as Host

In Search of Darkness
2019
as Self

RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”
2008
as Self

24×36
2016
as Self

King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen
2018
as Self

Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters
2024
as Self

Bugs Bunny's 80th What's Up, Doc-umentary!
2020
as Self (archive footage)

Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel
1978
as Self

Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and Camp
2020
as Host

In Search of Darkness: Part III
2022
as Self

Hollywood Boulevard
1976
as Party Waiter (uncredited)

Blast Vegas
2013
as Salesman #2

It Conquered Hollywood! The Story of American International Pictures
2001
as Self

Sad Hill Unearthed
2018
as Self - Filmmaker

Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan
2012
as Self

Out of Print
2014
as Self

Direct Your Own Damn Movie!
2009
as Self

Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director
2024
as Himself

Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex
2015
as Self

The Perfect Scary Movie
2005
as Self

Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film
2019
as Self

The Orson Welles Show
1979
as Member of Studio Audience

A Century of Cinema
1994
as Self

Tales of the Uncanny
2020
as Self

Hitchcocked!
2006
as Self

The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee
2024
as Self
Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story
2022
as Self - Interviewee

House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before!
2013
as Self

Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy
2005

Tidal Wave
1975

A Fuller Life
2013
as Self - Reader (segment "Sicily Black and Blue")

Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
2006
as Self

Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster
2021
as Self

Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen
2004
as Self
Coming Attractions: The History of the Movie Trailer
2009
as Self

Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern
2026

Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
2006
as Self

Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror
1994
as Self

The Return of the Living Dead: The Decade of Darkness
2007
as Self

The Magical World of Chuck Jones
1992
as Self

Mary Woronov: Cult Queen
as Self

Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX
2008
as Self

Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous: Making Gremlins
2014
as Self

Ray Harryhausen: Working with Dinosaurs
1999
as Self

Roger Corman, the Pope of Pop Cinema
2021
as Self
The Horror Hall of Fame II
1991
as Self

The Man Who Saw Frankenstein Cry
2010
as Self

A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas!
2011
as Self - Interviewee

Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story
2007
as Self

Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion
1992
as Himself

From Gizmo to Gremlins: Creating the Creatures
2014
as Self

Nightmares in Red, White and Blue
2009
as Self

The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal
1986
as Self

Produce Your Own Damn Movie!
2011
as Self

Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection
2005
as Self

Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror
2014
as Self - Director

We Come In Pieces: The Rebirth of the Horror Anthology Film
2014
as Self
Männer im Trenchcoat, Frauen im Pelz
2004
as Self

That Guy Dick Miller
2014
as Self

Razzennest
2022
as Joe Dante

Mamie Exposed! The Life and Loves of the Last Blonde Bombshell

Lugosi: The Dark Prince
2006
as Self

Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.
2010
as Self

Eaten Alive! The Rise and Fall of the Italian Cannibal Film
2015

Mario Bava: Operazione paura
2004
as Self / Host

The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
2010
as Self

Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
2000
as Self

Unspeakable Horrors: The Plan 9 Conspiracy
2016
as Himself

42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street
2015
as Self

The Vincent Price Legacy
2025
as Himself

She's Alive! Creating 'The Bride of Frankenstein'
1999
as Self / Host

Karloff: The Gentle Monster
2006
as Self

Making The Earth Stand Still
2001
as Self
Class of '79: 40 Years of Rock 'N' Roll High School
2019

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman
2007
as Self
There Goes the Neighborhood: The Making of The 'Burbs
2014
as Self

Hollywood Rated 'R'
1997
as Self

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters
2019
as Self

Mark of The Beast: The Legacy of the Universal Werewolf
2019
as Self

Blood, Guts and Sunshine: The History of Horror Made in Florida
2021
as Self [archival]

Boorman and the Devil
2025
as Self

Unleashing the Beast: Making ‘The Howling’
2003

Long Live the King
2016
as himself

Monsterland
2009
as Self

Welcome to Werewolfland
2004

Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years
2018
as Self

Monstres, l'ennemi de l'intérieur
2017
as Self
The Future of Fear
2011
as Self
Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein
2007
as Himself

Behind the Tunes: Looney Tunes Go to War!
2005
as Himself

The Hatching of Spider Baby
2007
as Himself

Cinerama Adventure
2002
as Self

The Birds: Hitchcock's Monster Movie
2012
as Self

Fulci in the House: The Italian Master of Splatter
2009
as Self
The Fear Is Real
2018
as Self

Soylent Green and Red Alert: When Reality Catches Up with Fiction
2022
as Self
About Joe Dante
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… With 140 credits spanning from 1971 to 2026, Joe Dante has appeared in 131 films and 9 TV shows.
Fans searching for Joe Dante movies, Joe Dante filmography, or the latest projects starring Joe Dante can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Joe Dante Movies
- Gremlins (1984) — as Mogwai / Gremlins (voice) (uncredited)
- Sleepwalkers (1992) — as Lab Assistant
- Innerspace (1987) — as Vectorscope Employee (uncredited)
- Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) — as Grandpa Fred Director (uncredited)
- Piranha (1978) — as Scuba Diver #2 (uncredited)
Where to Watch Joe Dante Films
Most Joe Dante movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Joe Dante, check our movies catalogue and browse page.