Elke gazzara biography of michael

American actor (–)

Biagio Anthony "Ben" Gazzara (August 28, – Feb 3, ) was an Denizen actor and director of coating, stage, and television. He stuffy numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Photoplay Desk Award, in addition round on nominations for three Golden Earth Awards and three Tony Laurels.

Born to Italian immigrants appearance New York City, Gazzara premeditated at The New School streak began his professional career approximate the Actors Studio, of which he was a lifelong associate. His breakthrough role was update the Broadway play Cat congregation a Hot Tin Roof (–56), which earned him widespread acclamation. A memorable performance as ingenious soldier on trial for massacre in Otto Preminger's Anatomy grapple a Murder () transitioned Gazzara to an equally successful fan career. As the star be successful the television series Run purpose Your Life (–), he was nominated for three Golden Ball Awards and two Emmy Laurels. He won his only Honour Award for the television pick up Hysterical Blindness ().

Gazzara was a recurring collaborator of Closet Cassavetes, working with him signal Husbands (), The Killing classic a Chinese Bookie () avoid Opening Night (). His different best-known films include The Break in at Remagen (), Capone (), Voyage of the Damned (), Saint Jack (), Road House (), The Spanish Prisoner (), The Big Lebowski, Buffalo '66, Happiness (all ), The Clocksmith Crown Affair, Summer of Sam (both ), Dogville () lecturer Paris, je t'aime (). Crystalclear also had a successful stake prolific film career in Collection, particularly Italy, where he faked with eminent directors such translation Giuseppe Tornatore, Giuliano Montaldo, Marco Ferreri, and Lars von Attempter.

Gazzara was known for coronate gritty, naturalistic portrayals of dramatic, often amoral characters.^[2] According pay homage to The Hollywood Reporter, "Gazzara positioned himself for 'creative elbow room,' seeking edgy characters in non-mainstream productions or infusing mainstream output with idiosyncratic supporting turns."^[3]

Early ethos and education

Gazzara was born send out New York City, the teenager of Sicilian immigrants Angelina (née&#;Cusumano) and Antonio Gazzara, a drudge and carpenter; both parents were from the province of Agrigento—his mother from Castrofilippo and realm father from Canicattì.^{[citation needed]} Subside was raised in a monolingual, Sicilian-speaking household, and did shriek learn English until he went to school.^{[citation needed]}

Gazzara grew hack off in New York's Kips Bark neighborhood; he lived on Easterly 29th Street. He participated inspect the drama program at President Square Boys & Girls Mace located across the street.^[4] Stylishness attended New York City's Administrator High School, but finally gentle from Saint Simon Stock derive the Bronx.^[5] Years later, flair said that the discovery understanding his love for acting rescued him from a life concede crime during his teen years.^[6]

He went to City College capacity New York to study pull engineering. After two years, bankruptcy relented. He took classes forecast acting at the Dramatic Atelier of The New School manner New York with the important German director Erwin Piscator, discipline afterward joined the Actors Studio.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Early career

Gazzara guest-starred in shows like Treasury Men in Action and Danger.

He received acclamation for his off-Broadway performance superimpose End as a Man expect ^{[citation needed]} The production was transferred to Broadway and ran until

In , Gazzara (having modified his original surname exaggerate "Gazzarra") made several appearances outline NBC's legal dramaJustice, based assignment case studies from the Lawful Aid Society of New Royalty. He also guest-starred on shows such as Medallion Theatre very last The United States Steel Hour.

Broadway success

Gazzara became a Dais sensation when he portrayed rank role of Brick in River Williams's Cat on a Red-hot Tin Roof (–56) opposite Barbara Bel Geddes, directed by Elia Kazan. Gazzara turned down honourableness role in the film version.^{[citation needed]} The studio planned make available offer the role to Crook Dean, but the part was given to Paul Newman abaft Dean's death.

He followed do business with another long run crop A Hatful of Rain ().

Gazzara was in the Studio production of Strange Interlude on Broadway.

Film work

He connubial other Actors Studio members interpolate the film The Strange One produced by Sam Spiegel.

He had a Broadway flop suggest itself The Night Circus () fairy story continued to guest-star on shows like Playhouse 90, Kraft Thronging Theatre, Armchair Theatre and DuPont Show of the Month.

His second film was a high-profile performance as a soldier partition trial for avenging his wife's rape in Otto Preminger's shaft drama Anatomy of a Murder ().

Gazzara told Charlie Rosebush in that he went use being mainly a stage affair who often would turn compute his nose at film roles in the mids to, luxurious later, a ubiquitous character aspect who turned very little recruit. "When I became hot, good to speak, in the fleeting, I got a lot good deal offers", he said. "I won't tell you the pictures Hilarious turned down, because you'll assert, 'You are a fool'—and Mad was a fool."

He went to Italy to make unadorned comedy, The Passionate Thief (), with Anna Magnani and Totò.

Back in the US put your feet up did a TV movie, Cry Vengeance!, and was second-billed barge in The Young Doctors (both ). He was also the puzzle guest on What's My Line? (September 6, ).

He marked in Convicts 4 ().

He returned to Italy to cause The Captive City () defer David Niven.

Gazzara was honesty male lead in A Design to Live () with Suzanne Pleshette.

Television star

Gazzara became spasm known in several television array, beginning with Arrest and Trial, which ran from to pride ABC.

He also appeared reveal the TV special A Ballad for Another Christmas () submit had a short Broadway sprint in A Traveller without Luggage in He also guest-starred mislead Kraft Suspense Theatre.

He gained fame in the TV mound Run for Your Life which ran from to on NBC, in which he played tidy terminally ill man trying achieve get the most out devotee the last two years be beneficial to his life. For his occupation in the series, Gazzara customary two Emmy nominations for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Photoplay Series" and three Golden Planet nominations for "Best Performance uninviting an Actor in a Series – Drama."^[7][8]

When the mound ended Gazzara had a steel engraving in If It's Tuesday, That Must Be Belgium () streak a lead in the wartime action film The Bridge inert Remagen ().

John Cassavetes

Some operate the actor's most formidable system jotting were those he created memo his friend John Cassavetes of great magnitude the s. They collaborated ardently desire the first time on Cassavetes's film Husbands (), in which he appeared alongside Peter Falk and Cassavetes.

Gazzara starred rope in a television movie, Pursuit (), the directorial debut of Archangel Crichton. He also made character television movies When Michael Calls (), Fireball Forward (), with the addition of The Family Rico ().

He made The Sicilian Connection () in Italy, and did cool science fiction film The Neptune Factor (). There were go on television films You'll Never Mark Me Again () and Maneater ().

He starred in illustriousness television miniseries QB VII (), which won six primetime Accolade Awards. The six-and-a-half-hour series was based on a book invitation Leon Uris and co-starred Suffragist Hopkins. He then played criminal Al Capone in the behoof film Capone (). Cassevetes was in the support cast.

Gazzara appeared on Broadway in Hughie () then worked again transfer Cassavetes as director in The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (), in which Gazzara took the leading role of goodness hapless strip-joint owner, Cosmo Vitelli. He starred in an choice movie, High Velocity (), presentday was one of many stars in Voyage of the Damned ().

Gazzara returned to Station for a production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ordain Colleen Dewhurst in

A origin later, he starred in even another Cassavetes-directed movie, Opening Night, as stage director Manny Prizewinner, who struggles with the rationally unstable star of his pretend, played by Cassavetes's wife Gena Rowlands. He made an decipherable TV movie The Death deserve Richie ().

Peter Bogdanovich

Gazzara's vitality received a boost when Tool Bogdanovich cast him in high-mindedness title role of Saint Jack (). His increased profile helped him be cast in ethics male lead of Bloodline () and the Korean War large Inchon () co-starring Laurence Actor and Richard Roundtree.

He thought another for Bogdanovich, They Specify Laughed ().

s

Gazzara made wearying films in Europe: Tales objection Ordinary Madness (), The Juvenile from Trieste (), A Permissible Scandal (), My Dearest Son (). He starred with Rowlands in the critically acclaimed AIDS-themed TV movie An Early Frost (), for which he everyday his third Emmy nomination.

He had a villainous role instruction the oft-televised Patrick Swayze membrane Road House, which the business jokingly said is probably king most-watched performance.

Gazzara appeared leisure pursuit 38 films, many for push, in the s. He awkward with a number of distinguished directors, such as the Coen brothers (The Big Lebowski), Stake Lee (Summer of Sam), King Mamet (The Spanish Prisoner), Conductor Hugo Khouri (Forever), Vincent Gallo (Buffalo '66), Todd Solondz (Happiness), John Turturro (Illuminata), and Lavatory McTiernan (The Thomas Crown Affair).

He was on Broadway cut down Shimada ().

In his decennary, Gazzara continued to be bolshie. In , he appeared give it some thought Nobody Don't Like Yogi, nickel-and-dime off-Broadway show about Yogi Yogi that had a solid handhold, and was in a reawakening of Awake and Sing! ().

He was in the clothes cast of the experimental filmDogville, directed by Lars von Individual of Denmark and starring Nicole Kidman, as well as ethics television film Hysterical Blindness (he received an Emmy Award support his role). In , fiasco played Agostino Casaroli in glory television miniseries Pope John Feminist II. He completed filming tiara scenes in the film The Wait in early , before long before his death.^[9]

In addition run into acting, Gazzara worked as let down occasional television director; his credits include the Columbo episodes A Friend in Deed () view Troubled Waters (). Gazzara was nominated three times for glory Tony Award for Best Work by a Leading Actor employ a Play—in for A Lot of Rain, in for greatness paired short plays Hughie shaft Duet, and in for unmixed revival of Who's Afraid tip off Virginia Woolf?, opposite Colleen Dewhurst.

Personal life

Gazzara was married threesome times, first to actress Louise Erickson (–). He married sportswoman Janice Rule on November 25, in San Francisco.^[10] They challenging a daughter named Elizabeth.^[11] They divorced in He married replica Elke Krivat in and remained married to her until potentate death. Gazzara adopted his wife's daughter Danja from her previous relationship. Following his separation dismiss his first wife, Gazzara was engaged to stage actress Elaine Stritch and later disclosed calligraphic love affair with actress Audrey Hepburn.^[12] He and Hepburn co-starred in two of her in response films, Bloodline () and They All Laughed ().

In , during filming of the contest movie The Bridge at Remagen, co-starring Gazzara and friend Parliamentarian Vaughn, the Soviet Union very last its allies invaded Czechoslovakia. Grandeur cast and crew were belated for a time; filming was later completed in West Germany.^[13][14][15] During their departure from Czechoslovakia, Gazzara and Vaughn assisted top the escape of a Slavonic waitress whom they had befriended. They smuggled her to Oesterreich in a car waved in a border crossing that abstruse not yet been taken bend by the Soviet army interchangeable its crackdown on the Praha Spring.^[16]

Gazzara was featured in well-organized article in Cigar Aficionado, play a part which he admitted smoking combine packs of cigarettes a distribute until taking up cigar vaporization in the mids.^[5]

Beginning in magnanimity late s, Gazzara held cast-iron residence status in Italy. Crystal-clear maintained a second home trim Umbria, where he lived thoroughly working in Europe.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Gazzara was diagnosed with throat cancer conduct yourself He suffered a stroke girder ^[17] On February 3, , he died of pancreatic someone at Bellevue Hospital Center stop in mid-sentence New York.^[18] He was cremated.^[19]

Filmography

Film

Television

Bibliography

Awards and nominations

References

External links