Gene Saks

Gene Saks
Born Jean Michael Saks
(1921-11-08)November 8, 1921
New York City, U.S.
Died March 28, 2015(2015-03-28) (aged 93)
East Hampton, New York, U.S.
Occupation American actor, stage/film director
Years active 1949–2015
Spouse(s)
Bea Arthur
(m. 1950; div. 1978)

Keren Saks
(m. 1980)
Children 3

Gene Saks (November 8, 1921 – March 28, 2015) was an American stage, film director, and actor. An inductee of the American Theater Hall of Fame, his acting career beginning with a debut on Broadway in 1949. As a director, he was nominated for seven Tony Awards, winning three for his direction of I Love My Wife, Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues. He also directed a number of films during his career. He was married to Bea Arthur from 1950 until 1980, and subsequently to Keren Saks, from 1980 to his death in 2015.

Early life

Saks was born Jean Michael Saks in New York City, the son of Beatrix (née Lewkowitz) and Morris J. Saks.[1] Saks first became involved in theater as a student at Hackensack High School.[2]

He studied at Cornell University and trained for acting at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York with the German director Erwin Piscator.

Career

Saks made his acting debut on Broadway in South Pacific in 1949. On stage he also appeared in A Shot in the Dark, The Tenth Man and A Thousand Clowns, in the role of Leo "Chuckles The Chipmunk" Herman, which he reprised in the film version. He portrayed Jack Lemmon's brother in the screen adaptation of Simon's The Prisoner of Second Avenue, and also appeared in Nobody's Fool starring Paul Newman.[3]

Saks shared a long-term professional association with playwright/comedy writer Neil Simon,[4] directing Simon's plays Biloxi Blues, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Jake's Women, Rumors, Lost in Yonkers, Broadway Bound, The Odd Couple and California Suite. His additional Broadway credits included Enter Laughing; Half a Sixpence; Nobody Loves an Albatross; Mame; I Love My Wife; Same Time, Next Year and Rags.

Among Saks' film directing credits were Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Cactus Flower (which won Goldie Hawn the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Mame, Brighton Beach Memoirs, A Fine Romance, and the 1995 television production of Bye Bye Birdie.[3]

Personal life

Saks was married to fellow Actors Studio member actress Bea Arthur,[5] from 1950 until 1980. The couple had two sons, by adoption: Matthew (born in 1961), an actor, and Daniel (born in 1964), a set designer. He also had a daughter by his second wife Keren Saks.[4] Saks succumbed to pneumonia at East Hampton residence on March 28, 2015, aged 93.[4]

Awards, nominations and honours

Awards

  • 1977 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – I Love My Wife
  • 1983 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – Brighton Beach Memoirs
  • 1985 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – Biloxi Blues

Nominations

  • 1965 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – Half a Sixpence
  • 1966 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – Mame
  • 1969 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Movie – The Odd Couple
  • 1975 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play – Same Time, Next Year
  • 1975 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – Same Time, Next Year
  • 1977 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical – I Love My Wife
  • 1985 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play – Biloxi Blues
  • 1987 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play – Broadway Bound
  • 1991 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – Lost in Yonkers

Honours

Filmography

[3]

Actor

Year Title Role Notes
1951 Out There Episode: “Misfit”
1954 Omnibus Traveling salesman Episode: “Hilde and the Turnpike”
1955 ”Danger” Episode: “Precinct Girl”
1955 ”You Are There (TV Series)” Pvt. Lambert Episode: “D-Day (June 6, 1944)”
1955 ”Producers' Showcase” Waiter Episode: “Reunion in Vienna”
1955 "Ponds Theater" Episode: "The Ways of Courage"
1955 ”The Elgin Hour” Mitchell Sanders Episode: “Mind Over Momma”
1955 ”Playwrights '56” Mr. Baumgarten Episode: “Snow Job”
1956 ”Playwrights '56” Doctor Episode: “The Center of the Maze”
1956 ”Playwrights '56” Emcee Episode: “You Sometimes Get Rich”
1958 ”Kraft Theatre” Episode: “Three Plays by Tennessee Williams: Moony's Kid Don't Cry/The Last of My Solid Gold Watches/This Property Is Condemned” Anthology series
1958 ”Where Is Thy Brother?” Mr. Kalish
1959 ”Bachelor Father” Fred Episode:”Bentley, the Organizer”
1959 ”Mike Hammer” Gobo McCoy ”See No Evil”
1959 ”Brenner” Vinnie Harper Episode: “Small Take”
1959 ”Rendezvous” Episode:” The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit”
1960 ”Play of the Week” Mikoel ”The Dybbuk”
1961 ”Great Ghost Tales” Episode: “Bye Bye Baby”
1961 ”The United States Steel Hour” Willie Episode: “Man on the Mountain Top”
1963 ”Armstrong Circle Theatre” Arthur Vernon Episode: “The Embezzler”
1965 ”A Thousand Clowns” Leo
1975 ”The Prisoner of Second Avenue” Harry Edison
1978 ”The One and Only” Sidney Seltzer
1983 ”Lovesick” Frantic Patient
1984 ”The Goodbye People” Marcus Soloway
1991 ”The Good Policeman”
1994 ”Nobody's Fool” Wirf
1994 ”I.Q.” Boris Podolsky
1996 ”On Seventh Avenue” Sol Jacobs
1997 ”Deconstructing Harry” Harry's Father
1998 ”Law & Order” Judge Carl Samuel Episode: “Castoff”

Director

Year Title Notes
1967 "Barefoot in the Park" TV Movie
1968 "The Odd Couple"
1969 "Cactus Flower"
1972 "Last of the Red Hot Lovers"
1974 "Mame"
1986 "Brighton Beach Memoirs"
1992 "A Fine Romance"
1995 "Bye Bye Birdie" TV Movie

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References

  1. ↑ Gene Saks profile, FilmReference.com, accessed August 23, 2011.
  2. ↑ Staff. "Who's Who in the Cast", Playbill, 1981. Accessed August 13, 2018. "Gene Saks (Director) began his theatrical career playing Lord Fancourt Babberley in the Hackensack High School's production of Charlie's Aunt."
  3. 1 2 3 Gene Saks at the Internet Broadway Database
  4. 1 2 3 Weber, Bruce (March 29, 2015). "Gene Saks, Tony-Winning Director of Neil Simon Hits, Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  5. ↑ Gene Saks/Beatrice Arthur at the University of Wisconsin's Actor Studio audio collection Archived 2014-05-02 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ "On Stage, and Off". The New York Times. December 6, 1991.
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