Sam Jaffe – The Emperor Norton
Born: March 10, 1891
Died: March 24, 1984
Bio: Sam was born as Shalom Jaffe to a Russian-Jewish family in New York City, NY. His mother was a Yiddish actress in Odessa, Ukraine before moving to the US and his father was a jeweler. As a child he was in production with his mother in a Yiddish theater. Sam studied engineering at City College of New York and also work for several yeas as a math teacher before going into acting as a career. In 1934 he started to work in film and rose to prominence with the first role as the mad Tsar Peter III in The Scarlet Empress. During the 50s, Hollywood movie studio blacklisted Sam for being a communist sympathizer. But despite this, he was still hired for The Day the Earth Stood Still and then played Simonides in Ben Hur (1959).
Sam as Simonides in Ben Hur
In 1966 Sam starred in the Bonanza episode Emperor Norton.
He also starred in many other films, including Gentleman’s Agreement (1947), Tarzan’s Jungle Rebellion (1967), and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971).
Personal Life: Sam married Lillian Taiz, American operatic soprano and musical comedy, from 1926 until her death in 1941 from cancer. He married again to actress Bettye Ackerman. Sam and Bettye both starred in the TV show Ben Casey, American medical drama series from 1961 - 1966. Bettye died on Nov 20, 2006. Sam didn’t have any children from either marriage.
Sam and Bettye
Death: Sam died from cancer in Beverly Hills, California.
Work Cited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Jaffe_(actor)Born: March 10, 1891
Died: March 24, 1984
Bio: Sam was born as Shalom Jaffe to a Russian-Jewish family in New York City, NY. His mother was a Yiddish actress in Odessa, Ukraine before moving to the US and his father was a jeweler. As a child he was in production with his mother in a Yiddish theater. Sam studied engineering at City College of New York and also work for several yeas as a math teacher before going into acting as a career. In 1934 he started to work in film and rose to prominence with the first role as the mad Tsar Peter III in The Scarlet Empress. During the 50s, Hollywood movie studio blacklisted Sam for being a communist sympathizer. But despite this, he was still hired for The Day the Earth Stood Still and then played Simonides in Ben Hur (1959).
Sam as Simonides in Ben Hur
In 1966 Sam starred in the Bonanza episode Emperor Norton.
He also starred in many other films, including Gentleman’s Agreement (1947), Tarzan’s Jungle Rebellion (1967), and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971).
Personal Life: Sam married Lillian Taiz, American operatic soprano and musical comedy, from 1926 until her death in 1941 from cancer. He married again to actress Bettye Ackerman. Sam and Bettye both starred in the TV show Ben Casey, American medical drama series from 1961 - 1966. Bettye died on Nov 20, 2006. Sam didn’t have any children from either marriage.
Sam and Bettye
Death: Sam died from cancer in Beverly Hills, California.
