Actor Ben Gazzara dead at 81
Emmy-winning actor Ben Gazzara died Friday (Feb. 3) of pancreatic cancer. He was 81.
Gazzara had a long career working in theater, film and TV. He starred in the Broadway production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” In addition, he was a three-time Tony Award nominee, twice for “A Hatful of Rain” and once for “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
In film, Gazzara acted in wide range of projects. He worked with John Cassavetes in the movies “Husbands,” “The Killing of a Chinese Bookie” and “Opening Night.” Later in his career, Gazzara hooked up with the Coen brothers in their movie “The Big Lebowski.”
On the small screen, Gazzara was nominated four times for an Emmy. He finally won the award in 2002 for his work in the TV movie “Hysterical Blindness.”
He is survived by his wife Elke Krivat and two daughters.