Born in Albany, New York in 1951, John McTiernan attended the Julliard School before receiving a fellowship from the American Film Institute and attending NYU. He developed his skills as a technical director at the Manhattan School of Music and directed some 200 television commercials before breaking into feature films. His filmography includes Rollerball, The Thomas Crown Affair and Predator. He is perhaps best known for directing Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October and Last Action Hero. The son of actor John McTiernan Sr.