Sam Jaffe

Sam Jaffe
Jaffe as David Zorba in Ben Casey, 1961
Born
Shalom Jaffe

(1891-03-10)March 10, 1891
New York City, U.S.
DiedMarch 24, 1984(1984-03-24) (aged 93)
Resting placeWilliston Cemetery in Williston, South Carolina
Other namesSam C. Jaffe
EducationCity College of New York
(B.Sc. Engineering, 1912)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • teacher
  • engineer
Years active1918–1984
Spouses
Lillian Taiz
(m. 1926; died 1941)
(m. 1956)

Shalom "Sam" Jaffe (March 10, 1891 – March 24, 1984) was an American actor, teacher, musician, and engineer. In 1951, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Asphalt Jungle (1950). He also appeared in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) and Ben-Hur (1959), and is additionally known for his roles as the titular character in Gunga Din (1939) and as the "High Lama" in Lost Horizon (1937).