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 Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, activist, and former fashion model. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Jane Fonda, various accolades including two ...

in '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969).

Early life and career

Sarrazin was born Jacques Michel André Sarrazin in Quebec City, Quebec, and moved to

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...

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'' ( ...

'' 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 anch ...

such as ''Festival'' and ''

Wojeck ''Wojeck'' is a Canadian dramatic television series, which aired on CBC Television from 1966 to 1968. It was arguably the first successful drama series on English Canadian television. Plot Steve Wojeck is a crusading big city coroner who regul ...

''.

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 ''The Doomsday Flight'' is a 1966 television- thriller film written by Rod Serling and directed by William Graham. The cast includes Jack Lord, Edmond O'Brien, Van Johnson, Katherine Crawford, John Saxon, Richard Carlson and Ed Asner.

'' (1966) and the feature '' Gunfight in Abilene'' (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 Disn ...

borrowed him for a starring role in '' The Flim-Flam Man'' (1967) with George C. Scott. Universal then cast him with Anthony Franciosa 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 ...

'' (1968). Fox asked him back to star in '' The Sweet Ride'' (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 L ...

'' (1969) and '' In Search of Gregory'' (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 Sydney Irwin Pollack (July 1, 1934 – May 26, 2008) was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack directed more than 20 films and 10 television shows, acted in over 30 movies or shows and produced over 44 films. For his film '' Out ...

film earned nine Oscar nominations, and Sarrazin starring alongside

, 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 Bruce MacLeish Dern (born June 4, 1936) is an American actor. He has often played supporting villainous characters of unstable natures. He has received several accolades, including the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and the Silver ...

. 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'' (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'' (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 awar ...

's husband in the screwball comedy film '' 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, ap ...

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) unwittingl ...

'' (1976). He starred in '' The Gumball Rally'' (1976), then had lead roles in the Iran-shot film '' Caravans'' (1978), the Canadian mystery thriller ''

Double Negative A double negative is a construction occurring when two forms of grammatical negation are used in the same sentence. Multiple negation is the more general term referring to the occurrence of more than one negative in a clause. In some languages, ...

'' (1980), and the vigilante crime drama '' Fighting Back'' (1982).

Later career

Sarrazin increasingly shifted to television work. He starred in ''

Beulah Land Beulah is a land referred to in the Biblical Book of Isaiah. It is the land of the Jewish people, the Israelites, to which they must return: an earthly paradise. The land of Beulah is referred to in various hymns and other works. Bible The only k ...

'' (1980) and '' The Seduction'' (1982) and had a support part in '' Fighting Back'' (1982). He also appeared in '' Joshua Then and Now'' (1985), the ''

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (abbreviated as ''DS9'') is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. The fourth series in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise, it originally aired in syndication from ...

'' episode " The Quickening" (1996) and '' The Outer Limits'' episodes " I Hear You Calling" (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 ...

''. 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 '' The Sweet Ride'' (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) * ''

'' (1966) - Army corporal * '' Gunfight in Abilene'' (1967) - Cord Decker * '' The Flim-Flam Man'' (1967) - Curley * ''

'' (1968) - Jess Washburn * ''

'' (1968) - Miller Nalls * '' The Sweet Ride'' (1968) - Denny McGuire * ''

'' (1969) - Wylie * '' In Search of Gregory'' (1969) - Gregory Mulvey * '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969) - Robert * '' Sometimes a Great Notion'' (1971) - Leeland Stamper * '' The Pursuit of Happiness'' (1971) - William Popper * '' Believe in Me'' (1971) - Remy * '' The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean'' (1972) * ''

'' (1972) - John David Welles / Peter Bellamy * '' Harry in Your Pocket'' (1973) - Ray Haulihan * '' Frankenstein: The True Story'' (1973, television film) - The Creature * '' For Pete's Sake'' (1974) - Pete Robbins * ''

'' (1975) - Peter Proud * ''

'' (1976) - Scaramouche * '' The Gumball Rally'' (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 * ''

'' (1980, TV mini-series) - Casey Troy * '' The Seduction'' (1982) - Brandon * '' Fighting Back'' (1982) - Vince Morelli * ' (1983) - Szilveszter Matuska * '' Joshua Then and Now'' (1985) - Kevin Hornby * '' Murder She Wrote'' (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'' (1988) - Moorcraft * ''

Passion and Paradise ''Passion and Paradise'' is a 1989 American television crime-drama film directed by Harvey Hart and starring Armand Assante and Catherine Mary Stewart. For this film Hart won the Gemini Award for Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Serie ...

'' (1989) - Mike Vincent * '' The Ray Bradbury Theater'' (1989, TV series, "The Wind") - John Colt * '' Murder She Wrote'' (1991, TV series, "Murder Plain and Simple") - Jacob Beiler * '' The Ray Bradbury Theater'' (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'' (1995) - Craig * ''

'' (1996, TV series, " The Quickening") - Trevean * '' The Peacekeeper'' (1997) - Lt. Colonel Douglas Murphy * ''Crackerjack 2'' (1997) - Smith * '' Earthquake in New York'' (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 bas ...

'' (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 Ne ...

'' (2002, TV series, " Too Many Clients") - 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 webs ...

'' (2002) - Frank Bryant * '' The Christmas Choir'' (2008; TV movie) - Irish Catholic Priest * ''

On the Road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonis ...

'' (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