Ben Gazzara, a Risk-Taking Actor of Stage and Screen, Dies at 81

The New York Times ^ | February 3, 2012 | NEIL GENZLINGER

[John W]

Ben Gazzara, an intense actor whose long career included playing Brick in the original “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” on Broadway, roles in influential films by John Cassavetes and work with several generations of top Hollywood directors, died on Friday afternoon in Manhattan. He was 81.

He died of pancreatic cancer at Bellevue Hospital Center, his lawyer, Jay Julien, said. Mr. Gazzara lived in Manhattan.

[JRandomFreeper]

One of my faves, back in the day.

RIP

/johnny

[IronJack]

I won't go to the Slimes page to read more, but I did truly respect Ben Gazarra. One of the best roles I ever saw him in was a made-for-TV movie with Gena Rowlands called Hysterical Blindness. And he was of course the original "Fugitive."

[SaxxonWoods]

Was Ben G one of the duo starring in Route 66? Driving a vette around being busybodies.

And then he had a show where he had a terminal disease and wandered around getting involved in people’s lives. Can’t remember the title. It was good too.

[Timber Rattler]

His war movies were always excellent!

RIP Ben!

[I Drive Too Fast]

A good series that he was in was Run For Your Life. RIP.

[Charles Henrickson]

As Jackie Treehorn, in "The Big Lebowski":

[windcliff]

Good memory.

[ColdOne]

I liked him.. R.I.P.

[EGPWS]

One of the best roles I ever saw him in was a made-for-TV movie with Gena Rowlands called Hysterical Blindness.

"Run For Your Life" I really liked and was my introduction to Ben Gazzara!

[svcw]

Run for Your Life (TV Series 1965–1968)

[Charles Henrickson]

I remember him most from this show:

[Lady Lucky]

RIP.

(Not to be picky but I think they got his birth name wrong, that should be “Biago.”)

[yarddog]

That was a good series tho I don’t think Gazarra was in it. The blond guy was Martin Milner. I can’t recall the black headed one but it wasn’t Ben.

He was a pretty classy villain in “Road House” or something like that.

[Charles Henrickson]

And he was of course the original "Fugitive."

That was David Janssen.

[SaxxonWoods]

Thank you, yes!

[ConorMacNessa]

One of the greatest villains of all times. I can't remember the name of the film, but he played a cadet in a military academy who screwed everyone in sight. Finally got his comeuppance in the end. Also very big in TV for a while.

Rest in Peace, Ben!



Etiam non princeps sed usque ad genua, Principis Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[bmwcyle]

Road House

[Mortrey]

Always loved him.
Sad. Rest In Peace, Ben.

[supremedoctrine]

That series was “Route 66”, and you’re probably confusing him with George Maharis, the more Kerouacian of the duo-—the other half was blond, freckle-faced All American Martin Milner. Maharis never did much of anything after that series, kind of frittered out in dinner theater, or something.
Much like the other Greek George, George Chakiris, who was a big star courtesy of West Side Story, then disappeared.
Gazzara had a great resonant voice, made for the theater, where he started, and I loved him in one of his early roles
where he played a Southern Military cadet in the film version of Calder Willingham’s novel, END AS A MAN.