Arleen Lorrance

Sam Jaffe: An Actor of Character Arleen Lorrance

This life story of actor Sam Jaffe is extensively researched, including 150 personally conducted celebrity interviews, and colorfully told by writer Arleen Lorrance who was also his good friend. This is more than the story of a man who was admired and held in great esteem by the likes of John Huston, Zero Mostel, Karl Malden, Jack Lemmon, Julie Harris and Robert Wise. This is a 20th century history of theatre, film, and early television, not to mention life in New York City and Hollywood, lived passionately for 93 exciting and thoughtful years. Sam Jaffe created the classic film roles of Gunga Din, the high lama in Lost Horizon, and Doc Erwin Riedenschneider in The Asphalt Jungle (for which he received an Oscar nomination.) On television he was well known as Dr. Zorba in Ben Casey. His uniqueness enabled people to recognize him wherever he went. Jaffe was more than an actor. He was a man of integrity and conviction who was instrumental in starting Actor's Equity, as well as creating The Equity Library Theatre which kick-started hundreds of careers. Jaffe was a political activist who survived being falsely targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee which damaged hundreds of professionals and destroyed many lives.