John Lurie

John Lurie (born December 14, 1952) is an American musician, painter, actor, director, and producer. He co-founded the Lounge Lizards jazz ensemble and has composed and performed music for 20 television and film works. Lurie has acted in 19 films, including Stranger than Paradise and Down by Law, and produced, directed, and starred in the Fishing with John television series. In 1996, his soundtrack for Get Shorty was nominated for a Grammy Award. Since 2000, he has focused on painting due to symptoms attributed to chronic Lyme disease. Lurie's art has been exhibited worldwide, and his primitivist painting Bear Surprise became an internet meme in Russia in 2006. His television series, Painting with John, premiered on HBO in January 2021, receiving critical acclaim.