Mary's Mayhem

thedailywhat:

RIP: Ben Gazzara, a veteran actor best remember for his work with famed director John Cassavetes, passed away today of pancreatic cancer at Bellevue Hospital Center. He was 81.

Gazzara first made a name for himself in the 50’s starring in such notable Broadway productions as Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and A Hatful of Rain. He would return to the stage often throughout his career, earning himself three Tony Award nominations.

His big on-screen break came in 1959, when he was picked by Otto Preminger to co-star alongside Jimmy Stewart, George C. Scott, and Lee Remick in his 1959 adaptation of Wendell Mayes best-selling novel Anatomy of a Murder (which was recently added to the Criterion Collection).

In the 70’s, Gazzara teamed up with John Cassavetes to make his most lasting mark on the world of cinema. The New York City native starred in three of Cassavetes best-known films: Husbands, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, and Opening Night. (Incidentally, today also marks the 13th anniversary of Cassavetes’ death.)

Gazzara went on to become a darling of indie cinema, linking himself to the biggest names in the genre: Peter Bogdanovich (They All Laughed), the Coen brothers (The Big Lebowski), Spike Lee (Summer of Sam), David Mamet (The Spanish Prisoner), Todd Solondz (Happiness), and Lars von Trier (Dogville).

His final project, Géla Babluani’s English-language remake of his own French film, 13 Tzameti, was released in 2010.

He is survived by his brother Anthony, his third wife Elke Krivat, and his daughters, Elizabeth and Danja. 

[nyt / photo: chrisfelver.]