Age, Biography and Wiki

Ben Gazzara was an American actor and director who had a career spanning over six decades. He was best known for his roles in films such as Anatomy of a Murder (1959), The Big Lebowski (1998), and Road House (1989). He also starred in the television series Run for Your Life (1965–1968). Gazzara was born in Manhattan, New York City, on August 28, 1930. He attended New York City's High School of Performing Arts and the Actors Studio. He made his Broadway debut in 1955 in A Hatful of Rain. Gazzara's film career began in 1957 with a role in the film The Strange One. He went on to appear in numerous films, including Anatomy of a Murder (1959), The Bridge at Remagen (1969), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976), and The Big Lebowski (1998). He also appeared in the television series Run for Your Life (1965–1968). Gazzara was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance in the television movie Hysterical Blindness (2002). He also received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the television movie An Early Frost (1985). Gazzara died on February 3, 2012, at the age of 81.

Popular As Biagio Anthony Gazzara
Occupation actor,director,soundtrack
Age 82 years old
Zodiac Sign Virgo
Born 28 August 1930
Birthday 28 August
Birthplace Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Date of death 3 February, 2012
Died Place Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 28 August. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 82 years old group.

Ben Gazzara Height, Weight & Measurements

At 82 years old, Ben Gazzara height is 5' 10" (1.78 m) .

Physical Status
Height 5' 10" (1.78 m)
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Ben Gazzara's Wife?

His wife is Elke Stuckmann (27 February 1982 - 3 February 2012) ( his death) ( 1 child), Janice Rule (25 November 1961 - 28 January 1982) ( divorced) ( 1 child), Louise Erickson (1951 - 1957) ( divorced)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Elke Stuckmann (27 February 1982 - 3 February 2012) ( his death) ( 1 child), Janice Rule (25 November 1961 - 28 January 1982) ( divorced) ( 1 child), Louise Erickson (1951 - 1957) ( divorced)
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Ben Gazzara Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. So, how much is Ben Gazzara worth at the age of 82 years old? Ben Gazzara’s income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. He is from United States. We have estimated Ben Gazzara's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets.

Arrest and Trial (1963)$7,500 /week

Ben Gazzara Social Network

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Timeline

2012

Died on the anniversary of the death of his close friend John Cassavetes, on February 3, 2012.

2009

He and his Road House costar Patrick Swayze both died from pancreatic cancer. Swayze in 2009, and Gazzara in 2012.

2006

Appearing on Broadway in a revival of Clifford Odets' "Awake and Sing". [April 2006]

2000

Release of his autobiography, "In the Moment: My Life as an Actor". [2000]

1999

Diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999. He lost more than 40 pounds during treatment.

1997

Most were for free-to-air television or cable but he also worked on the big screen in The Spanish Prisoner (1997), The Big Lebowski (1998), Happiness (1998) and Summer of Sam (1999).

1990

The 1990s saw Gazzara working like never before, appearing in 38 films.

1989

Claimed that of all of the movies in which he has ever appeared in, Road House (1989) is the most frequently repeated on television.

1985

He worked much on the small screen, including the groundbreaking television movie An Early Frost (1985), playing the father of an AIDS victim.

1983

The February 16, 1983, edition of Variety, in the "Production in Italy" section, reports the film "Boogie Woogie" directed by Andrea Frezza, starring Ben Gazzara and Treat Williams, was to being filming in Italy in March 1983. Lack of funding prohibited completion of the film.

1982

He is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Gazzara, from his second marriage to Janice Rule; his third wife, Elke Gazzara (Elke Stuckmann) (married since 1982); his adopted daughter, Danja Gazzara, from Elke's previous marriage; and brother, Anthony Gazzara.

1981

Storie di ordinaria follia (1981) was another lead for Gazzara, but it received a mixed critical reception.

1980

The 1980s and 1990s saw Gazzara work more frequently than ever before in character parts. If he never became the leading man his early films and stage work promised, he had a career notable for its longevity.

Other big-screen roles in the 1980s were scarce apart from Road House (1989), a Patrick Swayze vehicle that Gazzara believed out of all his films had been the most repeated on television.

1979

Bloodline (1979) and They All Laughed (1981) (also directed by Bogdanovich) were only notable because of Gazzara's off-screen relationship with co-star Audrey Hepburn (ironically, Gazzara had declined to make his screen debut in War and Peace (1956) starring Hepburn).

1976

Gazzara made two more well-received films with his good friend Cassavetes: The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) and Opening Night (1977).

1970

His buddy in the cameo was John Cassavetes, who directed and co-starred with him in Husbands (1970), a critical success.

Gazzara's other films in the 1970s were undistinguished apart from the sprawling Voyage of the Damned (1976) and a rare leading role in director Peter Bogdanovich's Saint Jack (1979).

1969

He returned to films in The Bridge at Remagen (1969) and with a cameo appearance in If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969).

1965

In between, he made A Rage to Live (1965), a film version of John O'Hara's novel.

1963

He appeared in the successful series Arrest and Trial (1963) and Run for Your Life (1965).

1960

He turned to television in the 1960s but made a big screen comeback with roles in three John Cassavetes films in the 1970s.

Gazzara followed this with an Italian venture co-starring Anna Magnani, The Passionate Thief (1960), two Hollywood films The Young Doctors (1961) and Convicts 4 (1962) and then another Italian film Conquered City (1962). None of these did much for his career, and he turned to television.

1959

His next role was as the defendant in Anatomy of a Murder (1959) which was a big hit.

1957

Bigger names Paul Newman and Don Murray played those last two roles on the big screen but Gazzara made his movie debut in The Strange One (1957) the film version of "End as a Man. " The film was a critical but not commercial success.

1955

It was a star making part (he won a Theatre World award) and he then played leads in the original productions of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1955) and "A Hatful of Rain" (1955) (he was nominated for a Tony).

1953

The tale of a brutal southern military academy reached Broadway slightly changed in 1953 but with Gazzara still in the principal role.

1951

He studied drama at the Dramatic Workshop in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. He studied with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York City in 1951.

1950

Ben Gazzara's screen career began with two critically acclaimed roles as heavies in the late 1950s.

1930

He was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara on August 28, 1930, in New York City. The son of a Sicilian immigrant laborer, he grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. After seeing Laurette Taylor in "The Glass Menagerie," Gazzara decided he wanted to become an actor. He studied engineering (unhappily) but quit after receiving an acting scholarship (he worked under well-known coach Erwin Piscator). Gazzara then joined the Actors Studio, where a group of students improvised a play from Calder Willingham's novel End as a Man.

1929

He was born on the East Side of Manhattan in New York City to Antonio Gazzara and Angela Cusumano Gazzara, both Italian immigrants. They often spoke Italian at home. He grew up in a building at 29th Street and 1st Avenue, where he slept on the fire escape in summer and occasionally heard screams from the patients at the Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital in New York City.