James Foley obit

James Foley, Director of ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ and ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Sequels, Dies at 71

The longtime filmmaker had been privately battling brain cancer over the last year 

He was not on the list.

James Foley, the longtime filmmaker known for directing “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “At Close Range” and the two “Fifty Shades of Grey” sequels, died this week at age 71, TheWrap has learned.

The director had been privately battling brain cancer over the last year. He died earlier this week peacefully in his sleep, a spokesperson said.

With mainstream international hits “Fifty Shades Darker” and “Fifty Shades Freed” topping his years-long resume (and the latter marking his last film), Foley is also known for feature films “Fear,” “Who’s That Girl” starring Madonna (a frequent collaborator) and “The Chamber.” His work in television included “Billions,” 12 episodes of “House of Cards,” “Hannibal” and “Twin Peaks.”

He is survived by brother Kevin Foley and his wife Mary Anne Myers; sister Eileen Foley; sister Jo Ann Foley; and nephew Quinn Foley.

His body of work is wide-ranging, genre-hopping and eclectic — a fact that was not lost on the filmmaker when asked about his creative ambitions around the time of “Confidence,” the con man thriller starring Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman and Rachel Weisz.

“Not to be eclectic for eclectic’s sake, but if I follow this idea of ‘what do I like?’ I guess it’s going to be eclectic,” Foley said at the time, linking the themes of “Glengarry Glen Ross” from playwright David Mamet to “Confidence.” “Looking back, I become conscious of connections between a bunch of films. Obviously, males who are alienated and estranged from the mainstream. Groupings of males and the dynamics among them.”

Foley was born in Brooklyn, raised on Staten Island, New York, and received a master’s degree in film study and production from the University of Southern California.

His first film was “Reckless” in 1984 from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Director

Reagan & Gorbachev

Director

In DevelopmentTV Mini Series

1 episode

 

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades Freed (2018)

Fifty Shades Freed

4.5

Director (directed by)

2018

 

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades Darker (2017)

Fifty Shades Darker

4.6

Director (directed by)

2017

 

David Costabile, Jeffrey DeMunn, Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis, Corey Stoll, Kelly AuCoin, Maggie Siff, Asia Kate Dillon, and Dola Rashad in Billions (2016)

Billions

8.3

TV Series

Director

2016

2 episodes

 

Wayward Pines (2015)

Wayward Pines

7.3

TV Series

Director

2015

1 episode

 

Kevin Spacey in House of Cards (2013)

House of Cards

8.6

TV Series

Director

2013–2015

12 episodes

 

Red Zone (2014)

Red Zone

7.9

TV Movie

Director

2014

 

Mads Mikkelsen in Hannibal (2013)

Hannibal

8.5

TV Series

Director

2013

1 episode

 

Madonna in Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection (2009)

Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection

8.3

Video

Director (videos "Live to Tell", "Papa Don't Preach", "True Blue", "Who's That Girl" film segments")

2009

 

George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, and Shawn Levy in Reel Talent (2007)

Reel Talent

4.8

Director

2007

 

Bruce Willis and Halle Berry in Perfect Stranger (2007)

Perfect Stranger

5.7

Director

2007

 

Hollywood Division

5.8

TV Movie

Director

2004

 

Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia, Rachel Weisz, and Edward Burns in Confidence (2003)

Confidence

6.6

Director

2003

 

Mark Wahlberg and Chow Yun-Fat in The Corruptor (1999)

The Corruptor

6.1

Director

1999

 

James Gandolfini in Gun (1997)

Gun

6.1

TV Series

Director

1997

1 episode

 

Marky Mark: Hey DJ (1996)

Marky Mark: Hey DJ

3.0

Music Video

Director

1996

 

Gene Hackman and Chris O'Donnell in The Chamber (1996)

The Chamber

6.0

Director

1996

 

Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon in Fear (1996)

Fear

6.2

Director

1996

 

Two Bits (1995)

Two Bits

6.1

Director

1995

 

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Glengarry Glen Ross

7.7

Director

1992

 

Twin Peaks (1990)

Twin Peaks

8.7

TV Series

Director

1991

1 episode

 

Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (1990)

Madonna: The Immaculate Collection

8.5

Video

Director (video "Papa Don't Preach")

1990

 

Deep Purple: King of Dreams (1990)

Deep Purple: King of Dreams

7.5

Music Video

Director

1990

 

After Dark, My Sweet (1990)

After Dark, My Sweet

6.5

Director

1990

 

Madonna in Madonna: The Look of Love (1987)

Madonna: The Look of Love

6.9

Music Video

Director

1987

 

Who's That Girl (1987)

Who's That Girl

4.8

Director

1987

 

Madonna in Madonna: Who's That Girl (1987)

Madonna: Who's That Girl

6.8

Music Video

Director (Who's That Girl film segments)

1987

 

Madonna in Madonna: True Blue (1986)

Madonna: True Blue

7.0

Music Video

Director

1986

 

Madonna in Madonna: Papa Don't Preach (1986)

Madonna: Papa Don't Preach

7.4

Music Video

Director (as Peter Percher)

1986

 

Madonna in Madonna: Live to Tell (1986)

Madonna: Live to Tell

7.5

Music Video

Director (as Peter Percher)

1986

 

Sean Penn and Christopher Walken in At Close Range (1986)

At Close Range

6.9

Director (directed by)

1986

 

Madonna in Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour (1985)

Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour

8.3

Video

Director (opening sequence)

1985

 

Madonna in Madonna: Dress You Up (1985)

Madonna: Dress You Up

6.7

Music Video

Director (opening sequence)

1985

 

Daryl Hannah and Aidan Quinn in Reckless (1984)

Reckless

6.2

Director

1984

 

Writer

Madonna in Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection (2009)

Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection

8.3

Video

video "Papa Don't Preach"

2009

 

Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (1990)

Madonna: The Immaculate Collection

8.5

Video

video "Papa Don't Preach"

1990

 

After Dark, My Sweet (1990)

After Dark, My Sweet

6.5

screenplay

1990

 

Madonna in Madonna: Papa Don't Preach (1986)

Madonna: Papa Don't Preach

7.4

Music Video

Writer

1986

 

Actor

Sean Penn and Christopher Walken in At Close Range (1986)

At Close Range

6.9

Assistant D.A

1986

 

Producer

Reagan & Gorbachev

executive producer

In DevelopmentTV Mini Series

1 episode

 

Madonna in Madonna: Live to Tell (1986)

Madonna: Live to Tell

7.5

Music Video

producer

1986

 

Thanks

Warren (2014)

Warren

5.2

special thanks

2014

 

Richard Gere in Arbitrage (2012)

Arbitrage

6.6

the director wishes to thank

2012

 

The Bannen Way (2010)

The Bannen Way

5.2

special thanks

2010

 

Self

Joel Marshall in Lunch Therapy (2020)

Lunch Therapy

TV Series

Self

2021

1 episode

 

James Foley, Lumière sur un film noir

Video

Self

2021

 

James Foley, à bout portant (2018)

James Foley, à bout portant

Self

2018

 

The Moment with Brian Koppelman

Podcast Series

Self - Guest

2015

1 episode

 

House of Cards: Backstage Politics on the Set of House of Cards

8.0

TV Movie

Self

2015

 

House of Cards: Line of Succession (2014)

House of Cards: Line of Succession

7.8

Video

Self

2014

 

House of Cards: Politics for the Sake of Politics (2014)

House of Cards: Politics for the Sake of Politics

7.0

Video

Self

2014

 

Misfire: The Rise and Fall of the Shooting Gallery (2013)

Misfire: The Rise and Fall of the Shooting Gallery

8.0

Self

2013

 

Madonna: The Woman Behind the Brand

TV Movie

Self

2011

 

Virtual Lives: The Making of 'Perfect Stranger'

Video

Self

2007

 

Anatomy of a Scene (2001)

Anatomy of a Scene

6.7

TV Series

Self

2003

1 episode

 

Magic Time: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon

7.3

Video

Self

2002

 

Chow Yun-Fat Goes Hollywood

4.5

Video

Self

2001

 

From the (Under)Ground Up: The Making of 'The Corruptor'

2.5

Video

Self

1999

 

Dark and Deadly: 50 Years of Film Noir (1995)

Dark and Deadly: 50 Years of Film Noir

6.6

TV Special

Self

1995

 

De película (1982)

De película

8.2

TV Series

Self - Interviewee

1987

1 episode

Besides the film Who's That Girl (1987), Foley directed the following music videos for Madonna (under the pseudonym "Peter Percher"):

 

"Live to Tell" (1986)

"Papa Don't Preach" (1986)

"True Blue" (1986)

Foley was also the best man at Madonna's wedding to Sean Penn, although as of 2025 they are not on speaking terms