Birth Place: New York, NY, USA
Biagio Anthony "Ben" Gazzara (August 28, 1930 – February 3, 2012) was an American actor and director of film, stage, and television. He received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Drama Desk Award, in addition to nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and three Tony Awards.
Born to Italian immigrants in New York City, Gazzara studied at The New School and began his professional career with the Actors Studio, of which he was a lifelong member. His breakthrough role was in the Broadway play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955–56), which earned him widespread acclaim. A memorable performance as a soldier on trial for murder in Otto Preminger's Anatomy of a Murder (1959) transitioned Gazzara to an equally successful screen career. As the star of the television series Run for Your Life (1965–1968), he was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Emmy Awards. He won his only Emmy Award for the television film Hysterical Blindness (2002).
Gazzara was a recurring collaborator of John Cassavetes, working with him on Husbands (1970), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) and Opening Night (1977). His other best-known films include The Bridge at Remagen (1969), Capone (1975), Voyage of the Damned (1976), Saint Jack (1979), Road House (1989), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), The Big Lebowski, Buffalo '66, Happiness (all 1998), The Thomas Crown Affair, Summer of Sam (both 1999), Dogville (2003) and Paris, je t'aime (2006). He also had a successful and prolific film career in Europe, particularly Italy, where he worked with eminent directors such as Giuseppe Tornatore, Giuliano Montaldo, Marco Ferreri, and Lars von Trier.
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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