Gene Saks
Publicity Photo of Gene Saks
Born	Jean Michael Saks (1921-11-08)November 8, 1921 New York City, U.S.
Died	March 28, 2015(2015-03-28) (aged 93) East Hampton, New York, U.S.
Occupations	Director actor
Years active	1949–2015
Spouses	Bea Arthur ​ ​ (m. 1950; div. 1978)​ Keren Saks ​ (m. 1980)​
Children	3

Gene Saks (bornJean Michael Saks; November 8, 1921 – March 28, 2015) was an American director and actor. An inductee of theAmerican Theater Hall of Fame, his acting career began with a Broadway debut in 1949. As a director, he was nominated for sevenTony Awards, winning three for his direction ofI Love My Wife,Brighton Beach Memoirs andBiloxi Blues. He also directed a number of films during his career. He was married toBea Arthur from 1950 until 1978, and subsequently to Keren Saks from 1980 to his death in 2015.

Saks was born inNew York City, the son of Beatrix (née Lewkowitz) and Morris J. Saks.^[1] Saks first became involved in theater as a student atHackensack High School.^[2] He studied atCornell University. Upon graduation, he served in theU.S. Navy duringWorld War II, taking part in theNormandy landings.^[3] He also trained for acting at theDramatic Workshop ofThe New School in New York with the German directorErwin Piscator and helped start a theater cooperative at the Cherry Lane Theater and appeared in a number of productions as Off Broadway blossomed.^[3]

Saks appearedOff-Broadway inThe Bourgeois Gentleman in 1949^[4] and in the City Center's May 1955 two-week revival ofSouth Pacific.^[5] On stage he also appeared inE. E. Cummings'sHim,^[6]A Shot in the Dark,The Tenth Man andA Thousand Clowns, in the role of Leo "Chuckles The Chipmunk" Herman, which he reprised in the film version. He portrayedJack Lemmon's brother in the screen adaptation of Simon'sThe Prisoner of Second Avenue, and also appeared inNobody's Fool starringPaul Newman.^[7]

Saks shared a long-term professional association withplaywright/comedy writerNeil Simon,^[8] directing Simon's playsBiloxi Blues,Brighton Beach Memoirs,Jake's Women,Rumors,Lost in Yonkers,Broadway Bound,The Odd Couple (1985 revival with female cast) andCalifornia Suite. His additional Broadway credits includedEnter Laughing;Half a Sixpence;Nobody Loves an Albatross;Mame;I Love My Wife;Same Time, Next Year andRags.

Among Saks's film directing credits wereBarefoot in the Park,The Odd Couple,Cactus Flower (which wonGoldie Hawn theAcademy Award forBest Supporting Actress),Last of the Red Hot Lovers,Mame,Brighton Beach Memoirs,A Fine Romance, and the1995 television production ofBye Bye Birdie.^[7]

Saks was married to fellowActors Studio member actressBea Arthur^[9] from 1950 until 1978. The couple had two sons by adoption: Matthew (born in 1961), an actor, and Daniel (born in 1964), a set designer. He also had a daughter by his second wife Keren Saks.^[8] Saks died of pneumonia at his East Hampton residence on March 28, 2015, aged 93.^[8]

Director

Actor

As an Actor

As a Director

Tony Awards

Drama Desk Awards

• 1969DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Movie –The Odd Couple - Nom
• 1991Outer Critics Circle for Outstanding Direction of a Play -Lost in Yonkers - Won

Honours

• Inducted into theAmerican Theater Hall of Fame in 1991.^[10]

• Gene Saks at theInternet Broadway Database
• Gene Saks at theInternet Off-Broadway Database (archived)
• Gene Saks atIMDb
• Gene Saks at theUniversity of Wisconsin'sActors Studio audio collection

• 1921 births
• 2015 deaths
• Male actors from New York City
• American male film actors
• American male stage actors
• American theatre directors
• Broadway theatre directors
• American comedy film directors
• Cornell University alumni
• Hackensack High School alumni
• Deaths from pneumonia in New York (state)
• Film directors from New York City
• Jewish American male actors
• Jewish American film people
• The New School alumni
• Tony Award winners
• United States Navy personnel of World War II
• Military personnel from New York City
• 21st-century American Jews

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• Internet Off-Broadway Database person ID not in Wikidata