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Jay W. Jensen (August 4, 1931 – February 17, 2007) was a drama teacher in Miami Beach, Florida. known as "The Teacher to the Stars". Jensen is credited with inspiring the acting talents of such well-known actors as
Andy García Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956), known professionally as Andy García, is a Cuban-born American actor, director and musician. He first rose to prominence acting in Brian De Palma's ''The Untouchables'' (1987) alongside ...
and
Mickey Rourke Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. (; born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. During the star of the 1980s, Rourke played supporting roles i ...
.


Biography


Early years

Jensen was born in
Irvington, New Jersey Irvington is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 61,176. The township had the ninth-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.890% in 2020, compared to 2.82 ...
. He was the only child of John W. and Thelma "Billie" Jensen. His father was a musician in a nightclub band, and his mother was a nightclub manager. As a child, he developed a love of film and drama. During his school years, he studied ballroom dancing and acting.


Education

In 1950, his family moved to
St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...
, where he earned an Associate of Arts degree from
St. Petersburg College St. Petersburg College (SPC) is a public college in Pinellas County, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System and one of the institutions in the system designated a "state college," as it offers a greater number of bachelor's degrees th ...
. Jensen moved to
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, where he graduated from the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, i ...
with a BA in education. In 1953, he left Florida to live and study in
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
,
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. While in Cuba, Jensen studied at the
University of Havana The University of Havana or (UH, ''Universidad de La Habana'') is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, the capital of the Republic of Cuba. Founded on January 5, 1728, the university is the oldest in Cuba, and one of the firs ...
. Upon his return to Miami in 1954, he began teaching at Little River Junior High School. After teaching for three years, Jensen decided to pursue his dream of being a motion picture actor and "go to Hollywood and get discovered", and flew to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
along with his widowed mother, Thelma, and his cat Dracula.


Hollywood

In California, Jensen traveled to Los Angeles for an interview with movie producer
Joe Pasternak Joseph Herman Pasternak (born József Paszternák; September 19, 1901 – September 13, 1991) was a Hungarian-American film producer in Hollywood. Pasternak spent the Hollywood "Golden Age" of musicals at MGM Studios, producing many successfu ...
. Pasternak told Jensen he was leaving the motion picture business, and Jensen's dreams of a movie career were dashed. However, while in Hollywood, Jensen became friends with actress
Carroll Baker Carroll Baker (born May 28, 1931) is an American former actress. After studying under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio, Baker began performing on Broadway in 1954. From there, she was recruited by director Elia Kazan to play the lead in t ...
. He became Baker's dance partner, and appeared as an extra in three of her movies: ''
The Big Country ''The Big Country'' is a 1958 American epic Western film directed by William Wyler, starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, and Burl Ives. The supporting cast features Charles Bickford and Chuck Connors. Filmed in ...
'', '' But Not for Me'', and '' The Miracle''. Baker and Jensen performed a dance routine for the troops at
MacDill Air Force Base MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida. The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assig ...
in
Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
. Jensen's circle of friends included actors
Jim Backus James Gilmore Backus (February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989) was an American actor. Among his most famous roles were Thurston Howell III on the 1960s sitcom ''Gilligan's Island,'' the father of James Dean's character in '' Rebel Without a Cause, ...
and
Hurd Hatfield William Rukard Hurd Hatfield (December 7, 1917 – December 26, 1998) was an American actor. He is best known for having played characters of handsome, narcissism, narcissistic young men, most notably Dorian Gray in the film ''The Picture of Dori ...
. After a failed interview with DesiLu Productions, Jensen decided to return to Florida. It was also during the 1950s that he became a close friend of the writer and playwright
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...
.


South Florida

In 1959, Jensen was rehired by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and began a 32-year career as a drama teacher at Miami Beach Senior High School. However, he didn't give up on his motion picture career. He co-starred in ''Rehearsal For Sin'', an independent film produced in South Florida, and played a few uncredited roles in such movies as ''Racing Fever'' and ''
Werewolves on Wheels ''Werewolves on Wheels'' is a 1971 American exploitation film directed by Michel Levesque and starring Stephen Oliver, D.J. Anderson, and Deuce Barry. It blends two genres: the outlaw biker film and the traditional horror film. Plot "As it is ...
''. Jensen went on to earn a Master of Education Degree in Administration, Curriculum and Drama Education from the University of Miami. At Miami Beach High, he directed 300 plays and musicals. His productions of the plays ''You Can't Take It With You'', ''The Fantastics'', '' David and Lisa'', ''
The Great White Hope ''The Great White Hope'' is a 1967 play written by Howard Sackler, later adapted in 1970 for a film of the same name. The play was first produced by Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. and debuted on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in October 1 ...
'', ''
Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
'', '' Hair'', ''
The Impossible Years ''The Impossible Years'' is a 1965 comedy play written by Robert Fisher and Arthur Marx, son of comedian Groucho Marx. After two previews, the Broadway production, directed by Arthur Storch, opened on October 13, 1965, at the Playhouse Theatre, w ...
'', ''
To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a novel by the American author Harper Lee. It was published in 1960 and was instantly successful. In the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' has become ...
'', and ''
Viet Rock ''Viet Rock'' is a rock musical by Megan Terry that served as inspiration to the musical ''Hair''. A violent denunciation of the American involvement in the Vietnam War, the play was described by its author as a "folk war movie" comprising scenes ...
'', were groundbreaking and controversial for the times. In 1971, Jensen directed the play ''The Serpent''. ''The Serpent'' was a play of Biblical proportions; performed with a begetting scene. One of the student-actors in the cast was future movie star
Mickey Rourke Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. (; born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. During the star of the 1980s, Rourke played supporting roles i ...
. Among his numerous other students were movie actors
Andy García Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956), known professionally as Andy García, is a Cuban-born American actor, director and musician. He first rose to prominence acting in Brian De Palma's ''The Untouchables'' (1987) alongside ...
, Neal Gold, actor/voice actor
Jerry Gelb Jerry Gelb is an American actor and voice actor. Gelb moved to Los Angeles in late 1979. He is a graduate of the Florida State University School of Theatre ('76). His work has ranged from improvisation at the Comedy Store to L.A. Theater, TV a ...
.;
Annabelle Gurwitch Annabelle Gurwitch (born November 4, 1961) is an American author, comedic actress, television host most recognizable from her stint as hostess on ''Dinner and a Movie on TBS','' and activist associated with environmental issues and secular huma ...
; movie directors
Brett Ratner Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and producer. He directed the ''Rush Hour'' film series, '' The Family Man'', '' Red Dragon'', '' X-Men: The Last Stand'', and ''Tower Heist''. He is also a producer of several film ...
and Sara Sackner; rapper
Luther Campbell Luther Roderick Campbell (born December 22, 1960), also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke and simply Luke, is an American rapper, promoter, record executive, actor, and former leader of the rap group 2 Live Crew. He also starred in a short ...
; sportscaster
Roy Firestone Roy Firestone (born December 8, 1953) is an American sports commentator and journalist. Firestone is a graduate of Miami Beach High School and the University of Miami. Television career Firestone began his career as a sports anchor and repor ...
;, executive producer Heather Winters, music composer Desmond Child; casting director Debra Zane; and artist
Romero Britto Romero Britto (born October 6, 1963) is a Brazilian artist, painter, serigrapher, and sculptor. He combines elements of cubism, pop art, and graffiti painting in his work, using vibrant colors and bold patterns as a visual expression of hope, ...
. Jensen also worked with supermodel
Niki Taylor Nicole Renee Taylor (born March 5, 1975) is an American supermodel and television hostess. Early life Taylor was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Ken and Barbara Taylor, a highway patrol lieutenant and a photographer, respectively. She was ra ...
and coached Jennifer Fox in Gypsy. In the early 1990s, Jensen retired from teaching full-time but continued to work as an instructor for Adult and Community Education for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. His co-faculty members at Fienberg-Fisher Adult and Community Education Center included fellow actors Steven Brack, Lois Brooks, William Conroy, and Carl Starling. On November 6, 1999, Jensen was inducted into the Miami Beach Senior High School Hall of Fame by the Miami Beach Senior High School Alumni Association.


Mexican cinema

Jensen was also involved in Mexican cinema and considered Mexico City his second home. He spoke Spanish and worked as an actor and casting director. Jensen acted in five Mexican-produced films from 1965 to 1970, working with directors such as Luis Alcoriza and Albert Zugsmith on the movies ''El Gangster'', ''Los Cuatro Juanes'', ''Paraiso'', ''El Pistolero Fantasma'', and ''La Captura de Gabino Barrera''. In 2001, Jensen was the casting director for the Mexican production of ''I Never Saw Another Butterfly''. Jensen also served as drama consultant in Mexico City with the Peterson Schools.


Tennessee Williams

Jensen became friends with writer-playwright
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...
in the 1950s. They met at the old Robert Clay Hotel in South Beach and remained friends until Williams's death. In his spare time. Jensen lectured at colleges, book fairs, and festivals about his relationship with Williams. He entitled his lecture, "The Other Side of Tennessee Williams". He was a featured speaker at the Tennessee Williams Literary Fest in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
in 1998, and appeared also at the Tennessee Williams Festival in 2003.


Personal life

Jensen was an only child. His father, John W. Jensen, died in the 1950s. His mother, Thelma aka Billie, died in January 1999 at the age of 93. Jensen never married, but in the 1970s, he was engaged to transsexual dancer Jennifer Fox. The two announced their engagement on ''The Joey Carr Show'', a local South Florida television program. Years later, Fox was interviewed in ''Class Act'', a documentary on Jensen's life.


Final years

Jensen received numerous awards during his life. He served as a regional director for the National Thespian Society, hosted conferences before the Florida State Thespian Festival, and was a Carbonell voter in South Florida. Jensen donated over $4 million to such institutions as the University of Miami's Theater Arts Department, the School of Education, the Lowe Art Museum, the Ring Theater, and the Peterson Schools in Mexico. He gave $100,000 to the Actor's Playhouse in Miami. The Mainstage Auditorium Stage was dedicated in honor of Jensen and his parents. In 1997, he and his mother Thelma bequeathed $1 million to the Lowe Art Museum in Miami, Florida for a pre-Columbian wing named in honor of his 92-year-old mother. He donated another million dollars to the Jerry Herman Ring Theater. In the July 29, 2002, issue of ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'', Jensen was profiled along with other retirees regarding a meltdown in the stock market and eroding pension benefits. "I'm incensed," said Jensen of the scandals rocking the stock market. "Everytime I look I'm getting poorer." However, Jensen told the magazine that regardless of his losses, he still had a positive outlook on life: "My theory is, you die if you don't keep moving."


Death

In July 2006, Jensen discovered he had prostate cancer. Though seriously ill, he continued to work. He appeared numerous times in fundraising appeals for
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
television. However, his illness quickly progressed, and he died on Saturday, February 17, 2007, in
Coral Gables, Florida Coral Gables, officially City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city is located southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248. Coral Gables is known globally as home to the ...
.


Filmography


References

*
Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Ma ...
, July 29, 2002: WILL YOU EVER BE ABLE TO RETIRE? by Daniel Kadlec, pages 24–27.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jensen, Jay W. Drama teachers American male film actors 1931 births 2007 deaths University of Miami School of Education alumni Schoolteachers from Florida People from Irvington, New Jersey 20th-century American male actors