Sandy Baron
Sandy Baron | |
---|---|
Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery |
Education | Thomas Jefferson High School |
Alma mater | Brooklyn College |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1962–1998 |
Spouses | Geraldine Mary Crotty
(m. 1962; div. 1967)Mary Jo Webster
(m. 1970; div. 1975)Stephanie Ericsson
(m. 1976; div. 1981) |
Sandy Baron (born Sanford Irving Beresofsky; May 5, 1936 – January 21, 2001) was an American actor and comedian who performed on stage, in films, and on television. He is best known for his recurring role of Jack Klompus on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld.
Early life
Sanford Beresofsky was born in
Career
Baron made his Broadway debut in Tchin-Tchin in 1962. He also appeared in many other Broadway plays, hits as well as flops, including Arturo Ui, Generations, and Lenny (Los Angeles production). He replaced Cliff Gorman in the lead role of Lenny Bruce on Broadway.
In 1964, he established a reputation as part of the weekly television program
He acted in many television programs, including a recurring role in Seinfeld as Jack Klompus. Episode "The Pen" featuring dialogue between Baron's character and Jerry that, as a critic wrote, "[was] one of many reasons Seinfeld has been compared to the plays of Samuel Beckett."[5] He starred in Law & Order and took the role of Grandpa in a 1996 TV-movie revival of The Munsters, titled The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas. His appearances in feature films included Sweet November (1968), Targets (1968), If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969), The Out-of-Towners (1970), and Birdy (1984). Along with several of his contemporaries, Baron played himself in Woody Allen's Broadway Danny Rose (1984), and narrated the film.[1]
Baron also wrote music, starting out in 1961 in the Brill Building in New York City with songs such as "Flying Blue Angels" and Adam Wade's "The Writing on The Wall". In 1971, he co-wrote Lou Rawls' hit "A Natural Man" with Bobby Hebb ("Sunny"). Baron wrote and recorded a number of comedy albums, including The Race Race and God Save the Queens co-written with Reverend James R. McGraw, editor/writer of Dick Gregory's books.
Throughout his career, he opened for
among others.Personal life and death
He was married to model/actress Geraldine Baron, writer/activist Mary Jo Webster Baron, and writer/screenwriter Stephanie Ericsson;[6] all ending in divorce. He had no children.[7] Baron died on January 21, 2001, of emphysema in Van Nuys, California, at the age of 64.[8]
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1965–1975 | The Mike Douglas Show | Himself | |
1966–1967 | Hey, Landlord | Charles 'Chuck' Hookstratten | |
1970–1971 | Love, American Style | Salesman / Freddie | |
1981 | Cassie & Co. | John Stuart | |
1981 | An Evening At The Improv | Himself | |
1990–1991 | The Munsters Today | Yorga | |
1991 | Walter & Emily | Stan | |
1992 | Life Goes On | Sam Berkson | |
1996 | Tracey Takes On... | Sheldon Sturges | |
1996 | The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas | Grandpa Munster | |
1991–1997 | Seinfeld | Jack Klompus |
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1968 | Sweet November | Richard | |
1968 | Targets | Kip Larkin | |
1969 | If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium | John Marino | |
1969 | Girls in the Saddle | ||
1970 | The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart | Man telling joke in bar | Uncredited |
1970 | The Out-of-Towners | TV Man | |
1978 | Straight Time | Manny | |
1984 | Broadway Danny Rose | Sandy Baron | |
1984 | Birdy | Mr. Columbato | |
1986 | Sid and Nancy | Hotelier - U.S.A. | |
1986 | Mission Kill | Bingo Thomas | |
1986 | Vamp | Vic | |
1990 | The Grifters | Doctor | |
1991 | Motorama | Kidnapping Husband | |
1991 | Lonely Hearts | Apartment Manager | |
1994 | Leprechaun 2 | Morty | |
1995 | Twilight Highway | Lenny | |
1998 | The Hi-Lo Country | Henchman |
References
- ^ a b c Van Gelder, Lawrence (29 January 2001). "Sandy Baron, 64, Veteran Comic Who Antagonized Morty Seinfeld". The New York Times.
- ^ 1930 United States Federal Census
- ^ U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
- ASIN B0006EV8V0.
- ^ Peters, Mark (March 14, 2017). "Blizzard or not so much, you're home now, so revisit the Seinfeld episode that launched a million Stellaaaaaaaas: 'The Pen'". Salon. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ "Stephanie Ericsson: About the Author: HarperCollins Publishers". Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
- ^ "Amazon.com: Stephanie Ericsson: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle". amazon.com. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
- ^ Woo, Elaine (26 January 2001). "Sandy Baron; Comic Known for Quirky Roles on Stage, Screen". Los Angeles Times.
External links
- Sandy Baron at IMDb
- Sandy Baron at AllMovie
- Sandy Baron at Find a Grave