John Paxton (May 21, 1911 – January 5, 1985) was an American screenwriter.

Some of his films include Murder, My Sweet in 1944, Cornered in 1945, Crossfire in 1947 (an adaptation of the controversial novel The Brick Foxhole that earned him his only Oscar nomination). He helped adapt the screenplay for the controversial film The Wild One in 1953, starring Marlon Brando.