Sam Wanamaker
Biography
Sam Wanamaker was an American actor and director whose stage, film and television career spanned five decades. Born in Chicago in 1919, he received drama training at the Goodman School of Drama and Drake University before working in traveling shows and on Broadway. In the 1940s he starred alongside Ingrid Bergman in Joan of Lorraine, directed Two Gentlemen from Athens, and directed the Broadway production of Goodbye, My Fancy. He later made his London debut in Winter Journey, directed the British premiere of The Threepenny Opera, became director of Liverpool's New Shakespeare Theatre, and played Iago at Stratford-upon-Avon opposite Paul Robeson. Private Benjamin (1980) and Baby Boom (1987) were among his later Hollywood films, as were Raw Deal (1986) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), and he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Holocaust. He founded the Shakespeare Globe Trust, worked to rebuild Shakespeare's Globe theater in London, and received an honorary CBE. He died in 1993.
74years old at death
- Born Chicago
- Died London
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Also credited as Samuel Wattenmacker and Samuel Wanamaker
Movie Career
- Films
- 18
- Career span
- 31 years1960 to 1991
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Early training
Wanamaker trained at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Goodman School of Drama. In Chicago and northern Wisconsin he joined summer stock companies, and in 1937 he helped build the Peninsula Players Theatre stage.
A first
In September 1974, Wanamaker produced the first opera mounted in the new Sydney Opera House, which was Prokofiev's War and Peace. He also directed the Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations that year.
A change of course
In 1957 Wanamaker took charge of Liverpool's neglected New Shakespeare Theatre. He staged productions including A View from the Bridge and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and the venue became a lively arts center with films, lectures, jazz concerts and art exhibits.
A first
Wanamaker directed stage productions too, among them the world premiere of Michael Tippett's opera The Ice Break. At San Francisco Opera in 1980, he directed Giuseppe Verdi's Aida with Luciano Pavarotti starring.
Sam Wanamaker movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Charles Shyer directed two of these films. Nine actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Keenan Wynn's page
Jack Warden's page
Robert Morley's page
Scott Wilson's page
Jean-Pierre Cassel's page
Michael Goodliffe's page
Charles ShyerDirector, 2 films, 1984 to 1987
All films by Charles Shyer
Also two films together3 more actors
- Christopher ReeveSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) and The Aviator (1985)
- Rupert DaviesThe Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) and The Criminal (1960)
- Oskar WernerVoyage of the Damned (1976) and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Sam Wanamaker's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$254 million
12 of the 18 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 18 films: 12 worldwide figure; 6 figure not found.
- 12Worldwide figure
- 6Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 91% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$70M27.5% of the total
- 2$37M14.5% of the total
- 3Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes1965as George Gruber$30M11.8% of the total
- 4$27M10.5% of the total
- 5$25M9.8% of the total
- 6$16M6.4% of the total
- 7$15M5.7% of the total
- 8$12M4.9% of the total
$22.4 millionfrom the other 4 films with a worldwide figure, 9% of the total
Awards
Four awards and honors.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 1989 | Benjamin Franklin Medal | Won | |
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
| Laurence Olivier Awards | Won | ||
| Society of London Theatre Special Award | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.