Michael Sarrazin

Jacques Michel André Sarrazin (May 22, 1940 – April 17, 2011), known as Michael Sarrazin, was a Canadian actor. He gained prominence with a number of leading roles in Hollywood films from the late 1960s through the 1970s, with a breakout part in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?. According to one obituary, "Sarrazin fit the anti-hero ethos of the era, often playing rootless characters." He was a BAFTA Award, Golden Globe, and Gemini Award nominee.

Early life and education Sarrazin was born Jacques Michel André Sarrazin in Quebec City, Quebec, and moved to Montreal as a child. After acting in school plays, he landed his first professional role at age 17. He trained at the Actors Studio in New York City.

Career Sarrazin worked on television productions in Toronto such as Festival and Wojeck, He was announced for the male lead in Cover Me Babe, but was replaced by Robert Forster.

Sarrazin's breakthrough role was in the dark Great Depression drama They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). The Sydney Pollack film earned nine Oscar nominations. Sarrazin starred alongside Jane Fonda, Susannah York, Gig Young, Red Buttons, Bonnie Bedelia and Bruce Dern. Of his role, Sarrazin recalled "You could have paid me a dollar a week to work on that film. It hits you bolt upright. I still get really intense when I watch it. We stayed up around the clock for three or four days. Pollack said we should work until we showed signs of exhaustion." Sarrazin went to Europe to star opposite Ursula Andress in the sex comedy The Loves and Times of Scaramouche (1976), which was another failure. He starred in The Gumball Rally (1976). He co-starred with Anthony Quinn and Jennifer O'Neill in the Iran-shot film Caravans (1978), which was a huge box office disaster. He then starred Canadian mystery thriller Double Negative (1980). He hosted the April 15, 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live.

Sarrazin increasingly shifted to television work. He had supporting roles in Beulah Land (1980), The Seduction (1982) with Morgan Fairchild and Andrew Stevensk and vigilante crime drama Fighting Back (1982). He also appeared in Joshua Then and Now (1985), the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Quickening" (1996) and The Outer Limits episodes "I Hear You Calling" (1996) and "The Other Side" (1999).

Personal life For seven years (1967–1974), Sarrazin was in a relationship with actress Jacqueline Bisset, whom he met while making The Sweet Ride (1968). Before that, he had two children by an unknown girlfriend.

Death Sarrazin died of mesothelioma on April 17, 2011, aged 70, in his hometown of Montreal. According to a family spokesman, his daughters Catherine and Michele were at his side when he died. Laurel Award 1968 Male New Face Golden Globe 1969 New Star of the Year – Actor The Sweet Ride Gemini Award 1999 Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series The City ("Deranged Marriages")