Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-7 of 7
- Originally named Shalom Jaffe, he became known to the world as Sam Jaffe. He was born in New York City, to Heida (Ada) and Barnett Jaffe, who were Russian Jewish immigrants. As a child, he appeared in Yiddish theatre productions with his mother, a prominent regional stage actress. He graduated from the City College of New York and then studied engineering at Columbia University graduate school. He began his career as a mathematics teacher in the Bronx. Around 1915 Jaffe joined the Washington Square Players. By 1918 he was no stranger to Broadway, having debuted in the original play Youth, and he appeared regularly through the 1920s, though less in the 1930s and only sporadically in the 1940s. He appeared in 21 plays on Broadway during his acting career, his final appearance in 1979.
Jaffe was a method actor before it was defined and early on sported his signature shock of curly hair that some people would later misinterpret as part of some Harpo Marx characterization. Jaffe was anything but. His acting talents were considerable, and Hollywood noticed him first for the unusual role of the mad Grand Duke Peter in Josef von Sternberg 's The Scarlet Empress (1934). Frightening in his rendition of Peter, he was dispatched by the always magnificent Marlene Dietrich.
Jaffe was no matinee idol but his homely features were made for unusual character roles. He did not disappoint in providing unforgettable performances. Frank Capra cast him as the mysterious High Lama in Lost Horizon (1937) (as last minute replacement; the actor originally cast had died). It would be another two years before Jaffe was once more called to Hollywood - he was back quite busy on Broadway. He appeared in George Stevens Gunga Din (1939) which sported big star names as well. Stevens gave Jaffe the lead, Gunga Din, native regimental bhisti (Hindi for water-carrier). It was probably Jaffe's most familiar film role. It was a standout part which Jaffe handled with great humanity, and the film was a huge hit.
Jaffe would not appear in another film for eight years. His second of two movies in 1947 was Elia Kazan 's powerful expose of anti-Semitism Gentleman's Agreement (1947) in which Jaffe played an Albert Einstein-like professor. Jaffe would play doctors of one sort or another in the handful of movies for the next few years. Then in 1950 he played a very different doctor - Doc Erwin Riedenschneider, criminal mastermind -- in John Huston's taut The Asphalt Jungle (1950). Jaffe would receive a nomination for a supporting actor Oscar for this effort. Of the three films he did in 1951, Jaffe also appeared in an another Einstein-like role in the Robert Wise sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951).
Jaffe experienced the destructive anti-communist furor when his name was included on a listing of performers sympathetic to communism in the Red Channels pamphlet and like many, was blacklisted by the big Hollywood studios. He was considered essential by producer Julian Blaustein and Robert Wise to play Professor Jacob Barnhardt, and 20th Century Fox boss Darryl Zanuck (who had resisted much heat for Gentleman's Agreement (1947)) agreed. It was ironic that Einstein, veiled as the character Barnhardt, was a pacifist and being watched by the U.S. government at that time. There was some credence for rumors that Jaffe provided the calculus equations (mainly the gravitational force between bodies) on Barnhardt's blackboard - solved so easily by alien Michael Rennie.
Jaffe didn't appear on-screen for seven years due to the punitive effects of the blacklisting. In 1958, John Huston wanted him for his very original The Barbarian and the Geisha (1958) with John Wayne, and director William Wyler also came forward later to cast him as faithful servant Simonides in the blockbuster Ben-Hur (1959). From then on Jaffe was very busy, especially with episodic TV through the 1960s which included his own recurring role as Dr. Zorba in the very popular Ben Casey (1961) series. Jaffe also appeared with his lifelong best friend, screen icon Edward G. Robinson in the made-for-TV film The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970) . Jaffe remained active into the year of his passing, a thoroughly engaging and unique actor and human being who never pushed his views on anyone. - Actress
- Additional Crew
Lilla (Adelaide) Brignone (Rome, August 23, 1913 - Milan, 24 March 1984) was an Italian actress. Even as a child she attended film sets and theaters, being the daughter of the director and the actress Lola Guido Visconti, nephew of the actress Mercedes Brignone, actor Uberto Palmarini and actor and director Giuseppe Brignone. She debuted in theater in just fifteen in Kiki Palmer company. Actress of the most representative of the '900 Italian, worked with important personalities of the show like Ruggero Ruggeri, Memo Benassi, Renzo Ricci, Giorgio Strehler, Salvo Randone, Vittorio De Sica and Luchino Visconti. For the dryness and interpretive intensity and countersigned, she is remembered in the theater even for the roles of Vasilisa in "L'albergo dei poveri" in Maksim Gorky (directed by Strehler), de "La signorina Giulia" by August Strindberg (directed by Visconti) and Mrs. Frola in "Così è (se vi pare)" Pirandello (directed by Giancarlo Sepe). San Genesio won the Prize in 1955 for her portrayal of how the leaves of Giuseppe Giacosa. She was life companion and the scene of Gianni Santucci with whom she formed one of the most famous couples in the history of Italian theater. Also loved by film directors, she was directed among others by Salvatore Samperi, Pasquale Squitieri, Jean Delannoy, Bernard Borderie, Alberto Lattuada, Renato Castellani, Alessandro Blasetti, Michelangelo Antonioni. In 1972 she was honored with an Oscar Capitoline, sympathy award given to those who have distinguished themselves in solidarity.- Actor
Andrew Atkinson was born on 14 November 1923 in Morensville, New Zealand. He was an actor. He died on 24 March 1984 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- John Fleeting was born on 18 October 1908 in Garra, New South Wales, Australia. He was an actor, known for The Rugged O'Riordans (1949), Come Up Smiling (1939) and Pacific Adventure (1946). He died on 24 March 1984 in Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia.
- Archie Old was born on 1 April 1906 in Farmersville, Texas, USA. He died on 24 March 1984 in March Air Force Base, California, USA.
- Aune Lindström was born on 29 January 1901 in Helsinki, Finland. She was an actress, known for Rautakylän vanha parooni (1923). She died on 24 March 1984 in Helsinki, Finland.
- Ailsa Grahame was born on 6 May 1896 in Waverley, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She was an actress, known for Sense and Sensibility (1971), Sherlock Holmes (1964) and Vanity Fair (1967). She died on 24 March 1984 in Primrose Hill, London, England, UK.