Andrew Davis (born November 21, 1946) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and cinematographer. He is best known for having directed several successful action and thriller films during the 1980s and 1990s.
Davis' notable works include the Code of Silence (1985) starring Chuck Norris; Steven Seagal vehicles Above the Law (1988) and Under Siege (1992); The Fugitive (1993) with Harrison Ford; Chain Reaction (1996); A Perfect Murder (1998); and Holes (2003). Davis was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Directors Guild of America Award for his work on The Fugitive.
Early life and education Davis was born on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, and has directed several films using Chicago as a backdrop. He is the son of actor Nathan Davis and Metta Davis, and the brother of musician Richard "Richie" Peter Davis (co-founder of the cover band Chicago Catz) and Jo Ellen Friedman. Davis had his father fill out many character roles throughout the years, notably as the grandfather to Shia LaBeouf's character in the Disney film Holes. Davis' paternal grandparents were Romanian Jewish immigrants.
After attending the Harand Camp of the Theater Arts summer camp program and Bowen High School, Davis went on to study journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he was issued a degree in journalism in 1968. It was not long before his interest in civil rights and anti-war issues converged with his growing interest in filmmaking.
Davis was mentored by cinematographer and director Haskell Wexler, who employed him as a camera assistant on his 1969 film Medium Cool. Wexler and Davis reunited in 2014 to discuss the film before a screening at the Pollock Theater on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Career 1969–1978: early works to directorial breakthrough Davis worked as a director of photography for the films Cool Breeze (1972), Private Parts (1972), Hit Man (1972), and The Slams (1973), for B-movie producer Gene Corman.
In 1975, Davis was credited for his writing, cinematography, and producing for the family film Paco, directed by Robert Vincent O'Neil and starring José Ferrer and Allen Garfield. Also in 1975, Davis was the director of photography for Menahem Golan's Lepke.
Afterwards he worked on two Charles Band films Mansion of the Doomed (1976) as cinematographer, and Crash! (1977) as director of photography.
On this period of his life Davis said:
"When I went to work for Gene Corman for Cool Breeze, Hit Man, Private Parts, and The Slams, they had small $300,000 budgets or less. It allowed me to see what it took to make a movie. I worked with first time directors, learned with them, and could recommend things, so I was able to get my hands in the works. Everybody was a character. When I worked with Menahem Golan for Lepke, I got to shoot in 35mm anamorphic Panavision and Tony Curtis was a big actor. There were fancy sets and arclights, so it was a big deal for me. I worked on some other really small movies with Charles Band like Crash! and Mansion of the Doomed. I did this because I wanted to see what it was like to make a movie for very little money. This allowed me to later say ‘let’s try to make Stony Island’."
In 1978, Davis released his directorial debut his semi-biographical musical drama film Stony Island. The genesis of the film came about while Davis was working on Lepke a few years earlier, when he met one of its screenwriters, Tamar Hoffs, also from Chicago, and they bonded over having musicians as brothers and a shared nostalgia for their hometown's atmosphere. Davis explains "I wanted to make a film that was to me what Mean Streets was to Martin Scorsese and American Graffiti was to George Lucas, a film about my roots, I wanted to make a film about what it was like to grow up in Chicago as a musician. It's important to show black and white kids working together. You can't even draw lines anymore between blacks and whites, musically." He added that "after Lepke I flew to Chicago and spent about three months with my brother and his friends. He's the last white kid on the block." Once in Chicago, Davis followed his brother Richie Davis, a guitarist, and his friend Edward 'Stony' Robinson, a singer, who would go on to play the leads. Davis recorded, and photographed the pair hanging out with their musician friends. After compiling a slideshow, he presented it to Hoffs, and together they decided to make a film about Chicago musicians.
Stony Island centered on young musicians forming a band in their impoverished south side neighborhood. The film co-stars include veteran musicians Gene Barge and Ronnie Barron, as well as Dennis Franz, Rae Dawn Chong, Meshach Taylor, and Susanna Hoffs. After completion, the film was screened in art houses and urban cinemas. Stony Island was praised by critics as a vibrant, heartfelt debut that captures the essence of Chicago's late-’70s culture and music scene. Critics praised its authentic portrayal of the city’s neighborhoods and its blend of urban grit with a soulful, semi-documentary feel. The film’s story of a biracial band forming against a backdrop of changing neighborhoods resonates with themes of integration and ambition. Featuring natural performances by real musicians and a jazzy, energetic soundtrack, the movie balances personal moments, raw emotion, and cultural commentary with charm and sincerity, solidifying its legacy as a vivid portrait of its time and place. Davis recouped two-thirds of the budget and started gaining interest from film studios for urban-themed projects.
1979–1985: continued career and action film breakthrough Moving forward, Davis was credited as director of photography for the film Hot Rod (1979), Over the Edge (1979), and Angel (1983). He was a second unit cinematographer on Robert Downey Sr.'s 1980 film Up the Academy.
In 1983, Davis directed a horror film titled The Final Terror, about young campers navigating a remote forest stalked by a deadly presence. Davis explained that screenwriter Ronald Shusett, impressed by his previous work, recommended him for the film. He added that producer Joe Roth also hired him as the cinematographer, crediting him under the pseudonym 'Andreas Davidescu' to bypass union restrictions. Davis explained that before filming, he and Roth scouted various locations, including the Mount St. Helens area in Washington. He stated that most of the cast, which includes John Friedrich, Rachel Ward, Daryl Hannah, Adrian Zmed, Mark Metcalf, Akosua Busia, and Joe Pantoliano, were relatively inexperienced or new to acting. According to Davis, Australian actress Rachel Ward was cast as the lead after he saw a modeling portrait of her in Roth's office. He also recalled that Pantoliano secured his role after arriving at the audition in character, impressing him with his commitment. Davis noted that the film was completed in 1981 but struggled to find a distributor due to its low body count. He explained that, as a result, two additional murders were filmed without his authorization. The later rise to fame of several cast members helped the film secure a distributor, and it was released in October 1983. In the intervening years, the film has developed a cult following.
Also in 1983, Davis was hired to direct and co-write Beat Street, a rap musical showcasing breakdancing and the street music culture of early 1980s New York City. However, during filming, reports emerged that Davis was replaced due to 'creative differences' but they kept his writing credit. Davis said that afterward producer "Mike Medavoy looked at the footage and said ‘there’s nothing wrong with this footage. I like this footage, and I’m going to hire this guy to do an action movie.’"
On October 2, 1984, Davis began principal photography on his action film debut, Code of Silence, which was shot in Chicago at his recommendation. It stars martial artist-turned-actor Chuck Norris. At the time, Norris was primarily known for leading roles in martial arts films, making Code of Silence a departure due to its complexity and dramatic depth. The film is about a cop who is ostracized for refusing to support a corrupt cop who killed an innocent bystander, while protecting the daughter of a mob boss. Davis described Norris as "easy to work with and very supportive." Released by Orion Pictures on May 3, 1985, and received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its slick direction, strong performances, and engaging action. It was regarded as a standout in Norris's career, with many considering it his best film to date. Ric Burrous of the Daily Journal said "Davis deserves a lot of credit for the success of 'Code.' While Norris handles his acting chores well, it's Davis who keeps the whole story flowing with the kind of street-wise rhythm that fits the mood of Chicago's seamier side of life. He keeps Norris's penchant for karate fight scenes to a minimum, making them a small part of the picture rather than the climax they have been in such other Norris films." The film debuted at number 1 with an opening weekend gross of $5.5 million and ultimately earned a total of $20.3 million at the US box office. Davis credits the film's success with establishing him as an action film director.
1986–1993: major successes and wide recognition Davis co-wrote, produced and directed a film titled Above the Law for Warner Bros. in 1988. This film is most notable for being the feature film debut of Steven Seagal. Davis then went back to Orion with his project The Package, working with Gene Hackman and Tommy Lee Jones.
Davis brought Jones with him to his next project, which was originally titled Dreadnaught but eventually carried the title Under Siege. In the picture Davis re-teamed with Seagal to create the top grossing fall film of 1992.
His 1993 film The Fugitive received seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, while Jones won for Best Supporting Actor, which is his only Oscar win to date. The Academy ultimately gave the 1993 Best Picture award to Schindler's List. That year Davis was also honored with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director by the Hollywood Foreign Press. The Directors Guild of America nominated him for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Direction.
Roger Ebert reviewed The Fugitive in 1993. He commented: "Andrew Davis' The Fugitive is one of the best entertainments of the year, a tense, taut and expert thriller that becomes something more than that, an allegory about an innocent man in a world prepared to crush him." Ebert observed that "Davis paints with bold visual strokes" and that he "transcends genre and shows an ability to marry action and artistry that deserves comparison with Hitchcock, yes, and also with David Lean and Carol Reed."
1995–2019: subsequent films Davis continued directing big budget adventures throughout the 1990s including Steal Big Steal Little, Chain Reaction, and A Perfect Murder.
In the fall of 2001, Davis was set to release Warner Bros. Pictures' Collateral Damage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, the initial release date was pushed in an effort to be sensitive to the tragedies of 9/11, as the film's plot and content too closely echoed the tragedy. The film was finally released theatrically in 2002.