Michael Sarrazin (May 22, 1940 – April 17, 2011)^[1] was a Canadian actor. His most notable film wasThey Shoot Horses, Don't They?.^[2]

Michael Sarrazin
Sarrazin in 1970
Born	Jacques Michel André Sarrazin (1940-05-22)May 22, 1940 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Died	April 17, 2011(2011-04-17) (aged 70) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1964–2010
Partner(s)	Jacqueline Bisset (1967–1974)
Children	2

Sarrazin was bornJacques Michel André Sarrazin inQuebec City, Quebec, and moved toMontreal as a child. After acting in school plays, he landed his first professional role at age 17.^[3]

Sarrazin worked on television productions in Toronto such asFestival andWojeck.^[3] He then gained a contract withMCA Universal. His early appearances include episodes ofThe Virginian (1965) andBob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre as well as the TV filmThe Doomsday Flight (1966) and the featureGunfight in Abilene (1967).

20th Century Fox borrowed him for the lead role inThe Flim-Flam Man (1967), co-starringGeorge C. Scott andSue Lyon. Universal then cast him withAnthony Franciosa inA Man Called Gannon (1968) and withJames Caan inJourney to Shiloh (1968). Fox asked him back to star inThe Sweet Ride (1968) alongsideJacqueline Bisset, who became his real-life girlfriend for the next several years.

Sarrazin appeared in some thrillers for Universal such asEye of the Cat (1969) withGayle Hunnicutt andEleanor Parker andIn Search of Gregory (1969) withJulie Christie andJohn Hurt. He was originally cast to play Joe Buck inMidnight Cowboy (1969), but he was unable to gain release from a prior contract and the part went toJon Voight.^[4] He was announced for the male lead inCover Me Babe, but was replaced byRobert Forster.^[5]

Sarrazin's breakthrough role was in the darkGreat Depression dramaThey Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). TheSydney Pollack film earned nine Oscar nominations. Sarrazin starred alongsideJane Fonda,Susannah York,Gig Young,Red Buttons,Bonnie Bedelia andBruce Dern.

He starred in the youth dramasThe Pursuit of Happiness (1971) withBarbara Hershey andBelieve in Me (1971) with Bisset. He supportedHenry Fonda andPaul Newman inSometimes a Great Notion (1970), then didThe Groundstar Conspiracy (1972) at Universal.

Sarrazin supportedJames Coburn inHarry in Your Pocket (1973) and received excellent reviews for the television filmFrankenstein: The True Story (1973). He appeared asBarbra Streisand's husband in the screwball comedyFor Pete's Sake (1974). He then starred withMargot Kidder andJennifer O'Neill inThe Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975), about a man doomed to die the same kind of death twice.

Sarrazin went to Europe to star oppositeUrsula Andress in the sex comedyThe Loves and Times of Scaramouche (1976). He starred inThe Gumball Rally (1976), then had lead roles in the Iran-shot filmCaravans (1978), the Canadian mystery thrillerDouble Negative (1980), and the vigilante crime dramaFighting Back (1982). He hosted theApril 15, 1978 episode ofSaturday Night Live.

Sarrazin increasingly shifted to television work. He starred inBeulah Land (1980) andThe Seduction (1982) and had a support part inFighting Back (1982). He also appeared inJoshua Then and Now (1985), theStar Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Quickening" (1996) andThe Outer Limits episodes "I Hear You Calling" (1996) and "The Other Side" (1999).

For seven years (1967–1974), Sarrazin was in a relationship with actressJacqueline Bisset, whom he met while makingThe Sweet Ride (1968). Before that, he had two children by an unknown girlfriend.^[6]

Sarrazin died ofmesothelioma 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.^[1]

• List of Canadian actors
• List of Quebec actors

• Michael Sarrazin atIMDb  
• Michael Sarrazin at theTCM Movie Database 
• Michael Sarrazin atMemory Alpha
• Michael Sarrazin atFind a Grave