John M. Saccaro (born Giovanni Saccaro), painter and printmaker, was born in San Francisco in September 12, 1913. He was self-taught as an artist and early in his career he created regionalist watercolors. His first solo exhibition of his watercolors was mounted in 1939 at the San Francisco Museum of Art (now the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art).

Beginning in 1939, Saccaro was hired to work for the Works Progress Administration: he first worked in the easel division and later in the mural section of the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP). He painted murals with Robert McChesney for the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island which opened in San Francisco in 1939. Saccaro worked for the WPA until he was drafted.

Saccaro served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was stationed in Germany, France and Belgium. Upon his discharge, he returned to San Francisco to study at the California School of Fine Arts which later became the San Francisco Art Institute. He studied with Clyfford Still, David Park and Elmer Bischoff between 1951 and 1954.

He was a member of and exhibited with the San Francisco Art Association. His work was included in numerous exhibitions including the 1955 Pittsburgh International Exhibition of Contemporary Painting at the Carnegie Museum of Art. The work of John M. Saccaro is represented in the collections of the Monterey Museum of Art, California; the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, California; the San José Museum of Art, California; and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C.

John (Giovanni) M. Saccaro died in San Francisco on October 3, 1981.