Jeannot Szwarc

Directing

Jeannot Szwarc

Born 1939-11-21 · Paris, France

Jeannot Szwarc (November 21, 1939 - January 14, 2025) was a French film director. Szwarc was born in Paris. He began working as a director in US television during the 1960s, in particular on Ironside. He is also associated with The Rockford Files, Kojak, Night Gallery, JAG, Bones, Numb3rs, and Columbo. His feature films include Bug (1975), Jaws 2 (1978), Somewhere in Time (1980), Supergirl (1984), and Santa Claus: The Movie (1985). Since then, he has mainly directed television movies and series. In 2003, Szwarc joined the crew of The WB television series Smallville as a director. One of the major episodes he directed was "Homecoming", the 200th episode of Smallville. He also directed six episodes of Heroes, at least once for each season.

Acting credits

You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman poster
6.0

A 5-part documentary of the history of Superman in the movies. • Origin - Superman in the media and the challenges the Salkinds faced • Vision - Creating the right script, Choosing the right director and casting the right actors • Ascent - The production and launch of a new kind of fantasy film • Crisis - Complications and conflicts between the creative forces behind Superman II • Redemption - Criticisms and burnout of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman

2006

Supergirl: The Making of the Movie poster
6.9

A documentary filmed during production of the film "Supergirl" showing the world how and who made it. This interesting featurette includes interviews with the cast and crew along with footage from the film and excerpts from the musical score.

Supergirl: The Making of the Movie

1985

Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story poster
7.8

Chronicles the last great American showman, filmmaker William Castle, a master of ballyhoo who became a brand name in movie horror with his outrageous audience participation gimmicks.

Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story

2007

Back To "Somewhere In Time" poster
8.0

The cast and crew of Somewhere in Time (1980) looks back at the making of the movie in this documentary produced for the special features on the DVD Collector's Edition.

Back To "Somewhere In Time"

2000

The Making of Jaws 2 poster
7.8

A documentary giving film fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this sequel to the now-classic horror movie that had viewers too scared to go into the water. Includes interviews with the writer, director, and other members of the creative staff who relate some of their experiences with making the film, as well as giving their views on all the work that went into it.

The Making of Jaws 2

2001

Santa Claus: The Making of the Movie poster
5.4

This behind-the-scenes documentary follows Team Salkind as they set out to bring Santa's "true" story to the screen. Dudley Moore (Patch) hosts; David Huddleston intros in character as Santa.

Santa Claus: The Making of the Movie

1985

Behind the camera

Supergirl poster
5.4

After losing a powerful orb, Kara, Superman's cousin, comes to Earth to retrieve it and instead finds herself up against a wicked witch.

Supergirl

1984

Jaws 2 poster
6.0

Police chief Brody must protect the citizens of Amity after a second monstrous shark begins terrorizing the waters.

Jaws 2

1978

Somewhere in Time poster
7.5

Young writer Richard Collier is met on the opening night of his first play by an old lady who begs him to "Come back to me". Mystified, he tries to find out about her, and learns that she is a famous stage actress from the early twentieth century. Becoming more and more obsessed with her, by self-hypnosis he manages to travel back in time—where he meets her.

Somewhere in Time

1980

Santa Claus: The Movie poster
6.3

In ancient times, a man named Claus, who delivers toys in his small village, fulfils his destiny to become Santa Claus after meeting an expert toy-making elf, Patch, in the North Pole. In the present day, Santa Claus has become overwhelmed by his workload, and the disgruntled Patch flees the workshop to New York City. There, Patch unknowingly threatens the fate of Christmas by taking a job at a failing toy company run by a scheming businessman.

Santa Claus: The Movie

1985

Hercule and Sherlock poster
4.4

A story of two dogs which can find false money end two mafioso losers. One tries to be a tough guy and the other eats only pizza and listens to zen music, but both are totally terrified by dogs.

Hercule and Sherlock

1996

Grand Larceny poster
5.0

A woman who hasn't seen her father in 18 years, learns of his death and goes to his estate in France to carry out his wishes. She then learns that her father was a thief who after getting caught and going to prison and upon his release was approached by an insurance company, who wanted him to use his talents in helping them recover some valuables that had been stolen, which became his new job. Now that he is gone, he wants her to continue his work.

Grand Larceny

1987

Bug poster
5.3

An earthquake releases a strain of mutant cockroaches with the ability to start fires, which proceed to cause destructive chaos in a small town. The studies carried out by scientist James Parmiter, however, reveal an intent with much more far-reaching consequences.

Bug

1975

Enigma poster
5.6

Five highly-trained KGB agents are sent to the west to assassinate several Soviet dissidents. In order to stop the diabolical plot, an American agent must infiltrate Soviet intelligence and obtain information from a Russian computer.

Enigma

1982

The Devil's Daughter poster
6.6

A young girl whose mother had sold her soul to Satan when she was born is told by Satan that she must marry a fellow demon.

The Devil's Daughter

1973

The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise poster
6.6

Angel's televangelical ministry launches a boycott against a movie entitled "Little Ezekial," and Rockford is hired to protect its star.

The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise

1995

The Murders in the Rue Morgue poster
6.0

A detective comes out of retirement to help his daughter's fiance prove that he did not commit a series of murders.

The Murders in the Rue Morgue

1986

Les Sœurs Soleil poster
3.6

This gently satirical French comedy centers on the resulting brouhaha that erupts when the preadolescent daughter of a very conservative bourgeoisie couple gets the chance to appear in a raucous music video starring a raunchy, aging female rocker. When pipe-puffing patriarch and solid citizen Brice learns that his daughter Clemence has been to selected for the music video with tacky has-been rocker Gloria, he nearly comes unglued. His prim wife, Benedicte, the organist for the local congregation, has a different perspective and understands her daughter's eagerness. She quietly agrees to secretly accompany Clemence during the shoot. Once there, the two are filmed dancing around and having fun. Neither realize that they will become special-effects victims by time production on the film ends and find themselves apparently dancing amongst men who but for the presence of small rubber sea creatures, would be buck naked.

Les Sœurs Soleil

1997

Mountain of Diamonds poster
6.2

France, 1915. Young and radiantly beautiful Centaine de Thiry is the happiest woman in the world: in a few more hours she will be married to pilot Michael Courteney, the love of her life. But fate has it otherwise: Michael is shot down in a reconnaissance plane shortly before his wedding. Life has lost its meaning for Centaine. When the young woman realizes soon afterwards that she is expecting a baby, her zest for live is revived. She decides to give birth to the child in South Africa, the home country of her deceased fiancé.

Mountain of Diamonds

1991

Have a Nice Night poster
6.5

Movie star Barbara Jenkins arrives in Cannes to host an auction of her costumes, under protection of Tom Lepski. She is under surveillance of a political terror group and some wily jewel thieves.

Have a Nice Night

1990

Have a Nice Night poster
6.5

Movie star Barbara Jenkins arrives in Cannes to host an auction of her costumes, under protection of Tom Lepski. She is under surveillance of a political terror group and some wily jewel thieves.

Have a Nice Night

1990

Crime Club poster
7.0

A Washington DC club comprises specialists who band together to combat crime.

Crime Club

1975

Lisa, Bright and Dark poster
8.0

Three teenage girls try to help their girlfriend, who is having a nervous breakdown that conventional therapy seems to be failing to remedy.

Lisa, Bright and Dark

1973

Extreme Close-Up poster
5.0

While doing a story on the intrusion of surreptitious surveillance in peoples' private lives, a television reporter rents some surveillance equipment to get a feel for what it's like to spy.

Extreme Close-Up

1973

No artwork available
8.0

With the help of the young, attractive agent Anna Schilling, secret service chief Vogel wants to get to the top of the "Millenium" terrorist group: He smuggles Anna in as a nanny to the widower Ernst Hoffmann, who is a member of the group. The two quickly become close and Ernst is able to persuade Anna to join his organization. But Helmut Müller, head of the terrorists, has Anna's past investigated and decides..: Anna must die...

Schrecklicher Verdacht

1995

Honor Bound poster
10.0

US soldier gets involved in Cold War shenanigans in East Germany.

Honor Bound

1988

A Summer Without Boys poster
7.3

A middle-aged woman going through a divorce takes her daughter to a summer lodge where the girl experiences a powerful awakening to life's challenges.

A Summer Without Boys

1973

Night of Terror poster
6.1

A hired killer hunts down a schoolteacher to get something she has. She doesn't know what it is, but he's already killed twice to get it.

Night of Terror

1972

The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits... poster
7.8

Jim Rockford, is framed for the murder of another rival detective with whom Jim was seen having an argument.

The Rockford Files: If the Frame Fits...

1996

The Weekend Nun poster
7.0

Drama based on the life of Joyce Duco, with Joanna Pettet as a young nun torn between the reality of her secular job as a daytime juvenile probation officer and the vows she has taken with the church.

The Weekend Nun

1972