Jacques Michel André Sarrazin (May 22, 1940 – April 17, 2011), known as Michael Sarrazin, was a Canadian actor. He gained prominence with a number of leading roles in Hollywood films from the late 1960s through the 1970s, with a breakout part in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). According to one obituary, "Sarrazin fit the anti-hero ethos of the era, often playing rootless characters." He was a BAFTA Award, Golden Globe, and Gemini Award nominee.

Early life and education Sarrazin was born Jacques Michel André Sarrazin in Quebec City, Quebec, and moved to Montreal as a child. After acting in school plays, he landed his first professional role at age 17.The Times obituary p. 67, April 20, 2011. He trained at the Actors Studio in New York City.

Career Sarrazin worked on television productions in Toronto such as Festival and Wojeck, appeared in a taped production of Romeo and Juliet opposite Geneviève Bujold, and appeared in National Film Board shorts. He then gained a contract with MCA Universal, moving to Los Angeles. His early appearances include episodes of The Virginian (1965) and Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre as well as the TV film The Doomsday Flight (1966) and the feature Gunfight in Abilene (1967).

20th Century Fox borrowed him for the lead role in The Flim-Flam Man (1967), co-starring George C. Scott and Sue Lyon. Universal then cast him with Anthony Franciosa in A Man Called Gannon (1968) and with James Caan in Journey to Shiloh (1968). Fox asked him back to star in The Sweet Ride (1968) alongside Jacqueline Bisset, who became his real-life girlfriend for the next several years.

Sarrazin appeared in some thrillers for Universal such as Eye of the Cat (1969) with Gayle Hunnicutt and Eleanor Parker and In Search of Gregory (1969) with Julie Christie and John Hurt. He was originally cast to play Joe Buck in Midnight Cowboy (1969), but he was unable to gain release from a prior contract and the part went to Jon Voight. He was announced for the male lead in Cover Me Babe, but was replaced by Robert Forster."Movie Call Sheet". Los Angeles Times. April 3, 1969.

Sarrazin's breakthrough role was in the dark Great Depression drama They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). The Sydney Pollack film earned nine Oscar nominations. Sarrazin starred alongside Jane Fonda, Susannah York, Gig Young, Red Buttons, Bonnie Bedelia and Bruce Dern. Of his role, Sarrazin recalled "You could have paid me a dollar a week to work on that film. It hits you bolt upright. I still get really intense when I watch it. We stayed up around the clock for three or four days. Pollack said we should work until we showed signs of exhaustion."

He starred in the youth dramas The Pursuit of Happiness (1971) with Barbara Hershey and Believe in Me (1971) with Bisset. He supported Henry Fonda and Paul Newman in Sometimes a Great Notion (1970), then co-starred with George Peppard in The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972) at Universal.

Sarrazin supported James Coburn and Walter Pidgeon in Harry in Your Pocket (1973) and received excellent reviews for the television film Frankenstein: The True Story (1973). He appeared as Barbra Streisand's husband in the screwball comedy For Pete's Sake (1974).

He then starred with Margot Kidder and Jennifer O'Neill in The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975), about a man doomed to die the same kind of death twice. That film was a critical and box office failure and damaged his Hollywood career. Sarrazin went to Europe to star opposite Ursula Andress in the sex comedy The Loves and Times of Scaramouche (1976), which was another failure. He starred in The Gumball Rally (1976). He co-starred with Anthony Quinn and Jennifer O'Neill in the Iran-shot film Caravans (1978), which was a huge box office disaster. He then starred Canadian mystery thriller Double Negative (1980). He hosted the April 15, 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live.

Sarrazin increasingly shifted to television work. He had supporting roles in Beulah Land (1980), The Seduction (1982) with Morgan Fairchild and Andrew Stevensk and vigilante crime drama Fighting Back (1982). He also appeared in Joshua Then and Now (1985), the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Quickening" (1996) and The Outer Limits episodes "I Hear You Calling" (1996) and "The Other Side" (1999).

Personal life For seven years (1967–1974), Sarrazin was in a relationship with actress Jacqueline Bisset, whom he met while making The Sweet Ride (1968). Before that, he had two children by an unknown girlfriend.

Death Sarrazin died of mesothelioma 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 Film

You're No Good (1965, NFB Film) — Eddie (German Version: Freddy) Gunfight in Abilene (1967) — Cord Decker The Flim-Flam Man (1967) — Curley A Man Called Gannon (1968) — Jess Washburn Journey to Shiloh (1968) — Miller Nalls The Sweet Ride (1968) — Denny McGuire Eye of the Cat (1969) — Wylie In Search of Gregory (1969) — Gregory Mulvey They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) — Robert The Pursuit of Happiness (1971) — William Popper Believe in Me (1971) — Remy Sometimes a Great Notion (1971) — Leeland Stamper The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) — Rose's husband The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972) — John David Welles / Peter Bellamy Harry in Your Pocket (1973) — Ray Haulihan Frankenstein: The True Story (1973) — The Creature For Pete's Sake (1974) — Pete Robbins The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975) — Peter Proud The Loves and Times of Scaramouche (1976) — Scaramouche The Gumball Rally (1976) — Michael Bannon — Cobra Team Caravans (1978) — Mark Miller Deadly Companion (1980) — Michael Taylor The Seduction (1982) — Brandon Fighting Back (1982) — Vince Morelli (1983) — Szilveszter Matuska Joshua Then and Now (1985) — Kevin Hornby Keeping Track (1986) — Daniel Hawkins Captive Hearts (1987) — Sergeant McManus Mascara (1987) — Bert Sanders Malarek (1988) — Moorcraft The Phone Call (1989) - Michael Henderson La Florida (1993) — Romeo Laflamme The Peacekeeper (1997) — Lt. Colonel Douglas Murphy Crackerjack 2 (1997) — Smith The Second Arrival (1998) — Prof. Nelson Zarcoff FeardotCom (2002) — Frank Bryant On the Road (2012) — Irish Catholic Priest

Television

+ Year Title Role Notes 1965 Festival Various roles 3 episodes The Virginian Sam Coates 1 episode 1966 Wojeck Tony 1 episode 1966–67 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Pvt. Tompkins / Davey Cooper 2 episodes 1985 Murder, She Wrote David Marsh Episode: "Joshua Peabody Died Here ... Possibly"1989 The Ray Bradbury Theater John Colt Episode: "The Wind" 1991 Murder, She Wrote Jacob Beiler Episode: "Murder Plain and Simple" Counterstrike Strand Episode: "It's All in the Game" 1992 The Ray Bradbury Theater Peter Horne Episode: "Tomorrow's Child" 1994 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Woody Clark 1 episode 1996 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Trevean Episode: "The Quickening" The Outer Limits Stranger Episode: "I Hear You Calling" 1999 The Outer Limits Marty Kilgore Episode: "The Other Side"1999–2000The CityMilt14 episodes 2000 La Femme Nikita Dr. Lukas 1 episode 2001 Earth: Final Conflict Dr. Charles Tenzer 1 episode 2002 Nero Wolfe Thomas Yeager Episode: "Too Many Clients"

TV films and miniseries

+ Year Title Role Notes1966 The Doomsday Flight Army Corporal 1973 Frankenstein: The True Story The Creature 1980 Beulah Land Casey Troy 1989 Passion and Paradise Mike Vincent 1995 Bullet to Beijing Craig Midnight in Saint Petersburg Craig 1998 Earthquake in New York Dr. Robert Trask 2008 The Christmas Choir Henry Brockman

Awards and nominations Award Year Category Work ResultBritish Academy Film Award1971 Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film RolesThey Shoot Horses, Don't They?Laurel Award1968Male New FaceGolden Globe1969 New Star of the Year – ActorThe Sweet RideGemini Award1999 Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic SeriesThe City ("Deranged Marriages")

See also List of Canadian actors List of Quebec actors

References

External links