Jay W. Jensen
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Jay W. Jensen (August 4, 1931 – February 17, 2007) was a drama teacher in
Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean ...
. 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) is an American actor, director, producer, and musician. He first rose to prominence acting in Brian De Palma's '' The Untouchables'' (1987) alongside Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and ...
and
Mickey Rourke Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. ( ; born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former professional Boxing, boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading actor, leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. In a Mickey Rourke filmogra ...
.


Early life and education

Jensen was born in
Irvington, New Jersey Irvington is a Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 61,176, an increase of 7,250 (+13.4%) from the 2010 Uni ...
. 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. 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 List of municipalities in Florida, fifth-most populous city in Florida and the most populous city in the sta ...
, where he earned an Associate of Arts degree from
St. Petersburg College St. Petersburg College (SPC) is a public college in St. Petersburg, Florida. Part of the Florida College System, SPC offers several associate and baccalaureate degree programs. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools ...
. Jensen moved to
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, where he graduated from the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...
with a BA in education. In 1953, he left Florida to live and study in
Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.University of Havana The University of Havana (UH; ) is a public university located in the Vedado district of Havana, the capital of Cuba. Founded on 5 January 1728, the university is the oldest in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas. Originall ...
.


Career

Jensed returned to Miami in 1954, where 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 Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
and get discovered", and flew to
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
along with his widowed mother, Thelma, and his cat Dracula. 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 Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Pasternak spent the Hollywood Musical film, "Golden Age" of musicals ...
. 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 retired 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, and starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, and Charles Bickford. The supporting cast features Burl Ives and Chuck Connors. F ...
'', '' 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. Tampa'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 t ...
. 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 was known for playing characters of handsome, narcissistic young men, most notably Dorian Gray in the film ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' (1945). Ea ...
. 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 three ...
. 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 Miami Beach Senior High School (Beach High, MBSH) is a secondary school located at 2231 Prairie Avenue Miami Beach, Florida, across from the Miami Beach Convention Center and Botanical Garden. It is located at the corner of Prairie Avenue and Da ...
. 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''. 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 ''David and Lisa'' is a 1962 American drama film directed by Frank Perry. It is based on the second story in the two-in-one novellas ''Jordi/Lisa and David'' by Theodore Isaac Rubin; the screenplay, written by Frank Perry's wife Eleanor Per ...
'', ''
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 title. The play was first produced by Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., and debuted on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in October ...
'', ''
Gypsy {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , po ...
'', ''
Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...
'', ''
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, ...
'', ''
To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a 1960 Southern Gothic novel by American author Harper Lee. It became instantly successful after its release; in the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' ...
'', and ''
Viet Rock ''Viet Rock'' is a rock musical by Megan Terry that served as inspiration to the musical ''Hair (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" co ...
'', 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 professional Boxing, boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading actor, leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. In a Mickey Rourke filmogra ...
. Among his numerous other students were movie actors
Andy García Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956) is an American actor, director, producer, and musician. He first rose to prominence acting in Brian De Palma's '' The Untouchables'' (1987) alongside Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and ...
, Neal Gold, actor/voice actor Jerry Gelb.;
Annabelle Gurwitch Annabelle Gurwitch is an American author, actress and television host most recognizable from her stint as a hostess on '' Dinner and a Movie'' on TBS, and an activist associated with environmental issues and secular humanism. She also was recog ...
; movie directors
Brett Ratner Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and producer. He directed the Rush Hour (film series), ''Rush Hour'' film series, ''The Family Man'', ''Red Dragon (2002 film), Red Dragon'', ''X-Men: The Last Stand'', ''Tower Heist ...
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 is known for having hel ...
; 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 report ...
;, executive producer Heather Winters, music composer
Desmond Child John Charles Barrett (born October 28, 1953), known professionally as Desmond Child, is an American songwriter and record producer. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008. He has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, a Primet ...
; 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 model and has hosted for television. Early life Taylor was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Ken and Barbara Taylor, a highway patrol lieutenant and a photographer, respectively. She was r ...
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 Miami Beach Senior High School (Beach High, MBSH) is a secondary school located at 2231 Prairie Avenue Miami Beach, Florida, across from the Miami Beach Convention Center and Botanical Garden. It is located at the corner of Prairie Avenue and Da ...
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 Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
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 three ...
in the 1950s. They met at the old Robert Clay Hotel in
South Beach South Beach, also nicknamed colloquially as SoBe, is a Neighborhoods of Miami Beach, Florida, neighborhood in Miami Beach, Florida. It is located east of Miami between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The area encompasses Miami Beach south ...
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 (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
in 1998, and appeared also at the Tennessee Williams Festival in 2003.


Awards and philanthropy

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 continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'', 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."


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. Fox was later interviewed in ''Class Act'', a documentary on Jensen's life.


Death

In July 2006, Jensen discovered he had
prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...
. 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 is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida and is located southwest of Greater Downtown Miami, Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...
.


Filmography


References

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


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jensen, Jay W. American 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 Actors from Essex County, New Jersey Male actors from New Jersey