Date of Death: February 03, 2012 (81)
Birth Place: New York, NY, USA
Ben Gazzara was an American actor known for his work in film, television, and theater. Born in New York City in 1930, Gazzara began his acting career in the 1950s, making his Broadway debut in 1953 in the play "End as a Man." He quickly gained recognition for his talent and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role in "A Hatful of Rain" in 1956.
Gazzara continued to work on Broadway throughout the 1950s and 1960s, appearing in productions such as "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "The Night Circus," and "Nobody Loves an Albatross." In 1965, he starred in the original production of "The Strange Case of the Three Sisters," a play written and directed by avant-garde theater legend Robert Wilson.
In addition to his work on stage, Gazzara also had a successful career in film and television. He appeared in over 60 films, including "Anatomy of a Murder," "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie," and "The Big Lebowski." He was also a frequent collaborator of director John Cassavetes, appearing in several of his films, including "Husbands," "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie," and "Opening Night."
On television, Gazzara was best known for his role as Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak in the popular police procedural "Kojak," which aired from 1973 to 1978. He also appeared in several other television series, including "Run for Your Life," "Arrest and Trial," and "The Sopranos."
Despite his success in film and television, Gazzara remained committed to the theater throughout his career. In 1984, he starred in a revival of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" on Broadway, earning critical acclaim for his portrayal of the troubled patriarch, Big Daddy. He also appeared in several Off-Broadway productions, including "Nobody Don't Like Yogi" and "Nobody Dies on Friday."
Gazzara's last Broadway appearance was in the 2002 revival of Arthur Miller's "The Price," in which he played the role of Gregory Solomon. He received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance.
Gazzara continued to work in film and television until his death in 2012 at the age of 81. His final film role was in the independent drama "Believe in Me," which was released posthumously in 2013.
Ben Gazzara, Nobody Don't Like Yogi
Ben Gazzara, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Ben Gazzara, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Ben Gazzara, Hughie and Duet
Ben Gazzara, A Hatful of Rain
Ben Gazzara, End as a Man
Ben Gazzara has appeared on Broadway in 9 shows.
Ben Gazzara has not appeared in the West End
Ben Gazzara has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. He was nominated for Outstanding Solo Performance at the Drama Desk Awards for his role in "Nobody Don't Like Yogi." He also received a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for his performance in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf." Additionally, Gazzara was nominated for Outstanding Actor - Play at the Drama Desk Awards for the same production. He received nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for his roles in "Hughie," "Duet," and "A Hatful of Rain." Gazzara was also recognized with a Performance award at the Theatre World Awards for his work in "End as a Man."
Ben Gazzara has won the Outstanding Solo Performance award at the Drama Desk Awards for his performance in "Nobody Don't Like Yogi". He has also won the Performance award at the Theatre World Awards for his role in "End as a Man".
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