Directors: Waters, John–Screen Career Terminated, 2004

One of America’s most subversive filmmakers, John Waters made a name for himself as a joyful ambassador of everything bad taste, from chic and scrappy 1960s shorts that lead to his masterpiece, 1972’s “Pink Flamingos.”

Though Waters trafficked in outrageous sex and depravity up until his final feature, 2004’s “A Dirty Shame,” he’s had an unexpected rebirth as a gentle and nostalgic cultural critic, thanks to bit parts in shows as ubiquitous as “The Blacklist” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and a hit Broadway production (and subsequent filmed version) of his most wholesome work, “Hairspray.”

He still shares his unique worldview in memoirs, speaking engagements and even summer camps, but his screen career seems to be over.