birth_place birth_date yearsactive article_title name occupation
montreal , canada 31 july 1943 1974 - present john n. smith
 john n. smith film director screenwriter
john n. smith

john n. smith -lrb- born july 31 , 1943 in montreal , quebec -rrb- is a canadian film director and screenwriter .
he began his career making documentary and short films before moving on to feature films and then finally working primarily in television .
his work has been nominated in the academy awards , genie awards , and gemini awards , but has only won the latter .
he is best known for the 1995 drama `` dangerous minds '' , starring michelle pfeiffer , and the tv movie `` the boys of st. vincent '' .
from 1972 until his completion of `` the boys of st. vincent '' in 1992 , smith was a staff filmmaker at the national film board of canada .
he is married to filmmaker cynthia scott .
