Today we celebrate the life of one of the most influential comedy directors in Broadway history.
Broadway Bound Born November 8, 1921, noted three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway director Gene Saks actually started out as a performer, making his Broadway debut in the legendary 1949 original Broadway production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC. Subsequently, Saks went on to feature in several more Broadway productions as an actor, including A THOUSAND CLOWNS, THE TENTH MAN, A SHOT IN THE DARK and more. Additionally, Saks returned to acting throughout his career, famously appearing in the big screen translation of a Neil Simon comedy hit - THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE, opposite Jack Lemmon - as well as NOBODY'S FOOL alongside iconic stage and screen star Paul Newman, among other memorable appearances. Yet, Saks will most likely be remembered most for his sensational string of Simon smashes - and, with very good reason. Saks and Neil Simon began their official onstage author/director partnership with CALIFORNIA SUITE in 1976, though Saks had already appeared in the aforementioned Simon film THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE and had directed several Hollywood adaptations of Simon smashes up until that point. Perhaps most notably, the high-point of their artistic collaboration would begin with the first of three plays in Simon's notable Eugene trilogy a few years later, beginning with BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS in 1983 and continuing on after that with BILOXI BLUES in 1985 and BROADWAY BOUND in 1986. Their prized partnership endured with RUMORS in 1988, and, then, the Pulitzer Prize-winning LOST IN YONKERS in 1991, followed shortly thereafter by the far less successful JAKE'S WOMEN. Although Saks was heralded for his affection and understanding of the uniquely stylized world of Neil Simon, he also tried his hand at a number of other plays and musicals throughout his career, as well, including the musical smash hits MAME and I LOVE MY WIFE, the latter for which he received his first Best Director Of A Musical Tony Award in 1977. Other TONY AWARDS were won for his Simon collaborations BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS and BILOXI BLUES, while also receiving a nomination for LOST IN YONKERS.
Videos