Day Tripping: August 28
Big Beginnings
The son of Italian immigrants in New York City, Ben Gazzara was born in 1930. After appearing in small TV roles at the start of his career, Gazzara achieved wide acclaim for his work on Broadway in Cat On Hot Tin Roof. It would give him the first of three Tony nominations, though he never won the award.
“You achieve because you’re lucky to work with people who are very talented.”
Ben declined to play the role in the film version of the Tennessee Williams play but went on to star in several acclaimed films. Gazzara’s breakthrough role came in Anatomy of a Murder with James Stewart.
Often portraying the heavy, Ben Gazzara was perfect for the part of Jackie Treehorn in The Big Lebowsky. But, the bulk of his work came from a partnership formed with fellow actor and filmmaker John Cassavetes.
Today is:
Cherry Turnovers Day — Yes.
Red Wine Day — Oh, yes!
Musical Ride
In 1993, Natalie Merchant made her solo debut at a charity concert in Newport, Rhode Island. Natalie could sing the dictionary and make it sound exceptional.
