Michael Sarrazin (May 22, 1940 – April 17, 2011)

CBC News CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.ca ...

, April 18, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2011. was a Canadian film and television actor who found fame opposite Jane Fonda in '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969).

Early life and career

Sarrazin was born Jacques Michel André Sarrazin in

Quebec City, Quebec Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the metropolitan area had a population of 839,311. It is th ...

, and moved to

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

as a child. After acting in school plays, he landed his first professional role at age 17.''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' Obituary p. 67, April 20, 2011. Sarrazin worked on television productions in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

such as ''Festival'' and '' Wojeck''.

Universal Studios

Sarrazin gained a contract with

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

. His early appearances include episodes of '' The Virginian'' (1965) and ''

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre ''Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'' is an American anthology series, sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967. The show was hosted by Bob Hope, but it had a variety of formats, including musical, dramatic ...

'' as well as the TV film '' The Doomsday Flight'' (1966) and the feature ''

Gunfight in Abilene ''Gunfight in Abilene'' is a 1967 American Western film starring Bobby Darin in a non-singing role. It is the second film based on the short story "Gun Shy" by Clarence Upson Young, the first being ''Showdown at Abilene'' (1956), starring Jock ...

'' (1967).

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

borrowed him for a starring role in ''

The Flim-Flam Man ''The Flim-Flam Man'' (titled ''One Born Every Minute'' in some countries) is a 1967 American comedy film directed by Irvin Kershner, featuring George C. Scott, Michael Sarrazin, and Sue Lyon, based on the 1965 novel ''The Ballad of the Flim-Fla ...

'' (1967) with

George C. Scott George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was an American actor, director, and producer who had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his port ...

. Universal then cast him with

Anthony Franciosa Anthony George Franciosa (né Papaleo; October 25, 1928 – January 19, 2006) was an American actor most often billed as Tony Franciosa at the height of his career. He began his career on stage and made a breakthrough portraying the brother of t ...

in ''

A Man Called Gannon ''A Man Called Gannon'' is a 1968 American Technicolor Western film directed by James Goldstone starring Tony Franciosa, Michael Sarrazin and Judi West. The film is a remake of '' Man Without a Star'' (1955). Plot Cowboy Gannon (Tony Franci ...

'' (1968) and with

James Caan James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972) – a performance which earned him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Suppo ...

in ''

Journey to Shiloh ''Journey to Shiloh'' is a 1968 American Western film directed by William Hale and starring James Caan, Michael Sarrazin and Brenda Scott. The film is based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Will Henry first published in 1960. Plot S ...

'' (1968). Fox asked him back to star in ''

The Sweet Ride ''The Sweet Ride'' is a 1968 American drama film with a few surfer/ biker exploitation film elements. It stars Tony Franciosa, Michael Sarrazin and Jacqueline Bisset in an early starring role. The film also features Bob Denver in the role of Choo ...

'' (1968) alongside

Jacqueline Bisset Winifred Jacqueline Fraser Bisset ( ; born 13 September 1944) is a British actress. She began her film career in 1965 and first came to prominence in 1968 with roles in '' The Detective'', ''Bullitt'', and ''The Sweet Ride'', for which she rec ...

, who became his off-screen partner. Sarrazin appeared in some thrillers for Universal such as ''

Eye of the Cat ''Eye of the Cat'' is a 1969 American horror film directed by David Lowell Rich and starring Michael Sarrazin, Gayle Hunnicutt, and Eleanor Parker. The screenplay is by Joseph Stefano, best known as the co-creator of the tv-series ''The Outer ...

'' (1969) and ''

In Search of Gregory ''In Search of Gregory'' is a 1969 British-Italian drama film directed by Peter Wood and starring Julie Christie. Plot Catherine Morelli goes to the latest wedding of her father, Max, who in turn wants to introduce her there to a potential sui ...

'' (1969).

Stardom

Sarrazin's breakthrough role was in the dark

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

drama '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969). The Sydney Pollack film earned nine Oscar nominations, and Sarrazin starring alongside Jane Fonda, Susannah York,

Gig Young Gig Young (born Byron Elsworth Barr; November 4, 1913 – October 19, 1978) was an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in ''Come Fill the Cup'' (1952) and '' Teacher's Pet'' ...

Red Buttons Red Buttons (born Aaron Chwatt; February 5, 1919 – July 13, 2006) was an American actor and comedian. He won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his supporting role in the 1957 film '' Sayonara''. He was nominated for awards for his acting work ...

and Bruce Dern. He starred in the youth dramas '' The Pursuit of Happiness'' (1971) and '' Believe in Me'' (1971). He supported Paul Newman in ''

Sometimes a Great Notion ''Sometimes a Great Notion'' is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964. While ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1962) is more famous, many critics consider ''Sometimes a Great Notion'' Kesey's magnum opus. The story i ...

'' (1971), then did ''

The Groundstar Conspiracy ''The Groundstar Conspiracy'' is a 1972 American neo noir crime film directed by Lamont Johnson. It stars George Peppard and Michael Sarrazin. Douglas Heyes' screenplay (written under his frequent pseudonym, Matthew Howard) was adapted very fr ...

'' (1972) at Universal. Sarrazin supported James Coburn in ''

Harry in Your Pocket ''Harry in Your Pocket'' is a 1973 comedy-drama film, about a team of professional pickpockets written by James Buchanan and Ronald Austin and directed by Bruce Geller, starring James Coburn, Michael Sarrazin, Trish Van Devere and Walter Pidge ...

'' (1973) and received excellent reviews for the television film '' Frankenstein: The True Story'' (1973). He appeared as

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...

's husband in the

screwball comedy film Screwball comedy is a subgenre of the romantic comedy genre that became popular during the Great Depression, beginning in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s, that satirizes the traditional love story. It has secondary characteristi ...

'' For Pete's Sake'' (1974). He then starred in the

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

The Reincarnation of Peter Proud ''The Reincarnation of Peter Proud'' is a 1975 American psychological horror film directed by J. Lee Thompson, and starring Michael Sarrazin, Margot Kidder, and Jennifer O'Neill. It follows a university professor who, after experiencing a seri ...

'' (1975), about a man doomed to die the same kind of death twice. Sarrazin went to Europe to star in the sex comedy ''

The Loves and Times of Scaramouche ''The Loves and Times of Scaramouche'' (Italian: ''Le avventure e gli amori di Scaramouche'') is a 1976 comedy film directed by Enzo G. Castellari. Plot Along with his sidekick Whistle (Giancarlo Prete), Scaramouche (Michael Sarrazin) unwittingly ...

'' (1976). He starred in ''

The Gumball Rally ''The Gumball Rally'' is a 1976 American comedy film directed and co-written by Charles Bail, a former stunt coordinator also known as Chuck Bail, about an illicit coast-to-coast road race. It was inspired by the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining- ...

'' (1976), then had lead roles in the Iran-shot film '' Caravans'' (1978), the Canadian mystery thriller '' Double Negative'' (1980), and the vigilante crime drama '' Fighting Back'' (1982).

Later career

Sarrazin increasingly shifted to television work. He starred in '' Beulah Land'' (1980) and '' The Seduction'' (1982) and had a support part in '' Fighting Back'' (1982). He also appeared in ''

Joshua Then and Now ''Joshua Then and Now'' is a Canadian novel written by Mordecai Richler, published in 1980 by McClelland and Stewart. A semi-autobiographical novel, the book is based his life on his neighborhood growing up in Montreal, Quebec, and tells of the l ...

'' (1985), the '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' episode " The Quickening" (1996) and '' The Outer Limits'' episodes "

I Hear You Calling This page is a list of the episodes of '' The Outer Limits'', a 1995 science fiction/ dark fantasy television series. The series was broadcast on Showtime from 1995 to 2000, and on the Sci Fi Channel in its final year (2001–2002). Series over ...

" (1996) and " The Other Side" (1999). He hosted the April 15, 1978 episode of ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...

''. Sarrazin was originally cast to play Joe Buck in the drama film ''

Midnight Cowboy ''Midnight Cowboy'' is a 1969 American drama film, based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. The film was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, with notable smaller ...

'' (1969), but he was unable to gain release from a prior contract and the part went to

Jon Voight Jonathan Vincent Voight (; born December 29, 1938) is an American actor. He came to prominence in the late 1960s with his Academy Award–nominated performance as Joe Buck, a would-be gigolo, in ''Midnight Cowboy'' (1969). During the 1970s, h ...

Personal life

For seven years (1967–1974), Sarrazin was in a relationship with actress

, whom he met while making the drama film ''

'' (1968).

Death

Sarrazin died of

mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs (known as the mesothelium). The most common area affected is the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Less commonly the lining ...

on April 17, 2011, aged 70, in his hometown of Montreal. According to a family spokesman, his daughters Catherine and Michele were at his side when he died.

Filmography

* ''You're No Good'' (1965, NFB Film) - Eddie (German Version: Freddy) * '' The Doomsday Flight'' (1966) - Army corporal * ''

'' (1967) - Cord Decker * ''

'' (1967) - Curley * ''

'' (1968) - Jess Washburn * ''

'' (1968) - Miller Nalls * ''

'' (1968) - Denny McGuire * ''

'' (1969) - Wylie * ''

'' (1969) - Gregory Mulvey * '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969) - Robert * ''

'' (1971) - Leeland Stamper * '' The Pursuit of Happiness'' (1971) - William Popper * '' Believe in Me'' (1971) - Remy * ''

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (1972) * ''

'' (1972) - John David Welles / Peter Bellamy * ''

'' (1973) - Ray Haulihan * '' Frankenstein: The True Story'' (1973, television film) - The Creature * '' For Pete's Sake'' (1974) - Pete Robbins * ''

'' (1975) - Peter Proud * ''

'' (1976) - Scaramouche * ''

'' (1976) - Michael Bannon - Cobra Team * '' Caravans'' (1978) - Mark Miller * ''

Deadly Companion ''Deadly Companion'' (also known as ''Double Negative'') is a 1980 Canadian thriller film based on the novel '' The Three Roads'' by Ross Macdonald. Plot Michael Taylor, played by Michael Sarrazin, is tormented by his sheer lack of memory conce ...

'' (1980) - Michael Taylor * '' Beulah Land'' (1980, TV mini-series) - Casey Troy * '' The Seduction'' (1982) - Brandon * '' Fighting Back'' (1982) - Vince Morelli * ' (1983) -

Szilveszter Matuska Szilveszter Matuska (29 January 1892 – disappeared c. 1945) was a Hungarian mass murderer and mechanical engineer who made two successful and at least two unsuccessful attempts to derail passenger trains in Hungary, Germany and Austria in 1 ...

* ''

'' (1985) - Kevin Hornby * ''

Murder She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series ...

'' (1985, TV series, "Joshua Peabody Died Here ...Possibly") - David Marsh * ''Keeping Track'' (1986) - Daniel Hawkins * ''Mascara'' (1987) - Bert Sanders * '' Captive Hearts'' (1987) - Sergeant McManus * ''

Malarek ''Malarek'' is a Canadian drama film, directed by Roger Cardinal and released in 1988.Gerald Pratley, ''A Century of Canadian Cinema''. Lynx Images, 2003. . p. 135. Based on the memoirs of Canadian investigative journalist Victor Malarek, the fil ...

'' (1988) - Moorcraft * '' Passion and Paradise'' (1989) - Mike Vincent * ''

The Ray Bradbury Theater ''The Ray Bradbury Theater'' is an anthology series that ran for three seasons on First Choice Superchannel in Canada and HBO in the United States from 1985 to 1986, and then on USA Network, running for four additional seasons from 1988 to 19 ...

'' (1989, TV series, "The Wind") - John Colt * ''

'' (1991, TV series, "Murder Plain and Simple") - Jacob Beiler * ''

'' (1992, TV series, "Tomorrow's Child" Season 6 Episode 11) - Peter Horne * '' La Florida'' (1993) - Romeo Laflamme * ''

Bullet to Beijing ''Bullet to Beijing'' is a 1995 made-for-television film that continues the adventures of the fictional spy Harry Palmer, who appeared in the 1960s films ''The Ipcress File'', ''Funeral in Berlin'' and ''Billion Dollar Brain'', based on books ...

'' (1995) - Craig * ''

Midnight in Saint Petersburg ''Midnight in Saint Petersburg'' is a 1996 made-for-television thriller film starring Michael Caine for the fifth and final time as British secret agent Harry Palmer. It served as a sequel to ''Bullet to Beijing'', which had been released the ...

'' (1995) - Craig * '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1996, TV series, " The Quickening") - Trevean * ''

The Peacekeeper ''The Peacekeeper'' is a 1997 action film directed by Frédéric Forestier, and starring Dolph Lundgren, Michael Sarrazin, Montel Williams, and Roy Scheider. The film follows U.S. Air Force Major Frank Cross, who is the only man who can prevent th ...

'' (1997) - Lt. Colonel Douglas Murphy * ''Crackerjack 2'' (1997) - Smith * ''

Earthquake in New York ''Earthquake in New York'' is an American television movie that aired on Fox Family Channel on Sunday October 11, 1998 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET. The film's tagline was "In a city torn apart, a family comes together". in this film ...

'' (1998) - Dr. Robert Trask * ''

The Second Arrival ''Arrival ll'' (alternatively titled ''The Second Arrival''), is a 1998 American science fiction direct-to-video film directed by Kevin S. Tenney. The film is a sequel to the 1996 film '' The Arrival''. It was written by Mark David Perry and ba ...

'' (1998) - Prof. Nelson Zarcoff * ''

A Nero Wolfe Mystery ''Nero Wolfe'' is a television series adapted from Rex Stout's series of detective stories that aired for two seasons (2001–2002) on A&E. Set in New York City sometime in the 1940s–1950s, the stylized period drama stars Maury Chaykin as N ...

'' (2002, TV series, "

Too Many Clients ''Too Many Clients'' is a Nero Wolfe detective novel by Rex Stout, published by the Viking Press in 1960, and later collected in the omnibus volume ''Three Aces'' (Viking 1971). Plot introduction A man who identifies himself as Thomas Yeager, he ...

") - Thomas Yeager * ''

Feardotcom ''FeardotCom'' is a 2002 horror film directed by William Malone and starring Stephen Dorff, Natascha McElhone and Stephen Rea. The plot details a New York City detective investigating a series of mysterious deaths connected to a disturbing web ...

'' (2002) - Frank Bryant * ''

The Christmas Choir ''The Christmas Choir'' is a 2008 American-Canadian made-for-television Christmas drama film written by Donald Martin and directed by Peter Svatek, and based upon a true story of a man who volunteered to work at a homeless shelter and started a ch ...

'' (2008; TV movie) - Irish Catholic Priest * '' On the Road'' (2012) - Irish Catholic Priest

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sarrazin, Michael 1940 births 2011 deaths Canadian male film actors Canadian male television actors Deaths from cancer in Quebec Male actors from Montreal Male actors from Quebec City 20th-century Canadian male actors 21st-century Canadian male actors