John Savage (actor)

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John Savage
AV0A6718 John Savage (crop).jpg
Savage in 2017
Born
John Smeallie Youngs

(1949-08-25) August 25, 1949 (age 75) [1]
Alma mater American Academy of Dramatic Arts
OccupationActor
Years active1969–present
Spouses
  • Susan Youngs
    (m. 1967;div. 1969)
  • (m. 1993;div. 2002)
Relatives

John Smeallie Youngs (born August 25, 1949), [1] known professionally as John Savage, is an American actor. [2] He first rose to prominence in the late 1970s for his portrayals of troubled-but-sensitive characters in films like The Deer Hunter (1978), The Onion Field (1979) and Hair (1979). His television roles include Donald Lydecker on Dark Angel (2000–2002) [3] [4] and Hack Scudder on Carnivàle (2003–2005).

Contents

Early life

John Smeallie Youngs was born in Old Bethpage on Long Island, New York on August 25, 1949, to Floyd and Muriel Youngs. Savage's younger siblings, Gail (b. 1952) [5] and Jim Youngs (b. 1956), [6] are also actors. His younger sister, Robin Young, is a Peabody Award-winning journalist and news broadcaster. [7]

After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, [8] [9] Savage worked for the Manhattan's Children's Theatre Group.

Career

Savage has appeared in more than 200 feature films, short films, recurring roles in television series and guest appearances in episodes of television series. One of Savage's first notable roles is as Claude Hooper Bukowski in the 1979 film Hair . [10] [11] His first major film role was as Steven Pushkov in the multiple Oscar-winning 1978 film The Deer Hunter . [12] He also had a lead role in the 1979 film The Onion Field . [13]

Savage discussing Hair at Sofia International Film Festival, March 2017 John Savage - Sofia, Bulgaria.jpg
Savage discussing Hair at Sofia International Film Festival, March 2017

In the late 1970s, he performed in the Broadway production of David Mamet's play American Buffalo . [14]

In 1991, he starred in Italian director Lucio Fulci's final film Door to Silence . [15] He then had a brief role in the 1998 war film The Thin Red Line, [16] portrayed Captain Ransom in the two part episode "Equinox" of the television series Star Trek: Voyager in 1999, [17] and appeared in the recurring role of Donald Lydecker in the first and second seasons of the 2000 television series Dark Angel. [18]

Savage appeared in the recurring role of Henry Scudder in the HBO television series Carnivàle between 2003 and 2005. [19] He appeared in unrelated roles in two of the series in the Law & Order franchise: the 2004 Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Conscience" as a man who put his wife in a permanent coma, and the 2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Quarry" as a child molester on death row for murdering one of his victims. [20]

Savage appeared in the 2015 horror film Tales of Halloween, [21] the 2017 film In Dubious Battle, [22] and on the 2017 continuation of the television show Twin Peaks. [23]

In 2017, Savage spoke at a tribute honoring director Richard Donner, held by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. [24]

In 2018, he appeared on the television show Goliath . [25] In the same year, Savage lent his voice to a monologue on the title track of the album This Town by Steve Smith of Dirty Vegas. [26]

Personal life

Savage has two children with his first wife, Susan (divorced 1969), including actress Jennifer Youngs (b. 1969). He was married to South African actress Sandi Schultz between 1993 and 2002. [8]

During the 1980s and 1990s, Savage was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa, and became acquainted with Nelson Mandela. He helped secure Mandela's involvement in the 1992 film Malcolm X, directed by Spike Lee, on which he was the assistant production manager for the South Africa unit. [27]

Savage's former brother-in-law was actor Robert Duvall, who was married to his sister Gail Youngs, from 1982 to 1986. [8] [5]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1969The Master BeaterRocco
1971Love is a CarouselBoy Friend
1972 Bad Company Loney
1973 Steelyard Blues Kid
The Killing Kind Terry Lambert
1974 The Sister in Law Robert Strong
1975 Eric Eric Swensen
1978 The Deer Hunter Corporal Steven Pushkov
1979 Hair Claude Hooper Bukowski
The Onion Field Det. Karl Francis Hettinger
1980 Inside Moves Roary
1981 Cattle Annie and Little Britches Bittercreek Newcomb
The Amateur Charles Heller
1983 Brady's Escape J.W. Brady
1984 Maria's Lovers Ivan Bibic
1986Vengeance of a SoldierFrank Morgan
Salvador John Cassady
The Little SisterTim Donovan
1987 Hotel Colonial Marco Venieri
Beauty and the Beast Beast / Prince
Caribe Jeff Richardson
1988 The Beat Frank Ellsworth
1989Point of ViewAmnon Yehoshua
Do the Right Thing Clifton
1990 Any Man's Death Leon Abrahams
Voice in the DarkDan Montgomery
The Godfather Part III Father Andrew Hagen
Ottobre rosa all'ArbatBoris
1991 Dark Tale Roy Kramer
Hunting Michael Bergman
Mountain of Diamonds Blaine
Buck ai confini del cieloWintrop
Notti di pauraPaola
1992 Door to Silence Melvin Dovereux
Primary Motive Wallace Roberts
1993Berlin '39Wieland
CIA II: Target Alexa Frank Kluge
1994Killing ObsessionAlbert
Red Scorpion 2 Andrew Kendrick
Deadly WeaponSanders
1995The DangerousEmile Lautrec
Carnosaur 2 Jack Reed
The Crossing Guard Bobby
The Takeover Greg
Fatal ChoiceDrury
White Squall McCrea
One Good TurnSantapietro
Where Truth LiesDr. Ian Lazarre
American Strays Dwayne
Flynn Joe Stromberg
FirestormBrinkman
1997 The Mouse Bruce Strauss
Little Boy Blue Ray West
AmnesiaTim Bishop
Hollywood Safari Deputy Rogers
Hostile IntentBear
Et hjørne af Paradis Padre Louis
ManaguaDennis
Ultimo taglioLeo Kimball
1998Club VampireZero
The Thin Red Line Sgt. Jack McCron
1999FrontlineCaptain Wolfgang Mueller
Message in a Bottle Johnny Land
Summer of Sam Simon
2000 Christina's House James Tarling
They Nest Jack Wald
2001Dead Man's RunCarver
Burning Down the House Jake Seiling
2002Redemption of the GhostSheriff Rollie Burns
The Anarchist Cookbook Johnny Red
2003IntoxicatingWilliam Shanley
Easy SexFrank Iverson
2004FallacyHeathcliff
AdmissionsHarry Brighton
Downtown: A Street Tale H2O
2005IowaIrv Huffman
Confessions of a Pit Fighter McGee
The New World Thomas Savage
2006 Kill Your Darlings Rock
The DropMr. Zero
Shut Up and Shoot! Marty Pearlheimer
2007 Shortcut to Happiness Johnnyuncredited
The Attic Graham Callan
2008The GriftWilliam Bender
From a Place of DarknessVic
Boiler MakerJJ
The Coverup Thomas Thacker
The Golden Boys Web Saunders
The Violent KindGeorge Malloy
2009 Anytown News Producer
Wild About Harry Horace White
Handsome Harry Peter Rheems
Qi chuan xu xuFrank Dreibelbis
Buffalo BushidoVendetti
Remembering NigelHimself
The Red Canvas Harbin Rask
2010 Dreamkiller Agent Barnes
Bereavement Ted
A Small Town Called DescentFather Scully
Bed & Breakfast Mr. Harvey
2011Colombian InterviewsJames
The Last GambleJohn
Nichirin no isanDouglas MacArthur
The Orphan Killer Detective Walker
Hit ListWalter Murphy
Assassins' CodeArlo
2012The Jonas ProjectCalvin Kabral
The Black DoveJake Williams
Sins ExpiationFather Karl
Money FightHarbin Rask
Open Road Carl
2013Real GangstersTed Roberts
Gemini Rising Manning
Awakened Jack Winston
A Star for RoseMort
7EPaul
DiscardedJay
2014 Bullet Governor Johnson
Fort Bliss Mike Swann
See How They RunThe Codger
The Lookalike William Spinks
Cry of the ButterflyWilliam Berman
The Big Fat StoneRobert Tanninger
2015The Sparrows: NestingMarvin
We Will Be the World Champions William Jones
Tales of Halloween Capt. J.G. Zimmermansegment "Bad Seed"
Beverly Hills ChristmasMr. Winters
2016Last Call at Murray'sBennett
Texas Heart Carl
In Dubious Battle Dan
American Romance Emery Reed
Dead SouthStokes
2017NephilimFather Samuelvoice role
The ReturnCovek u crnom odelu
The Neighborhood Vito Bello
Spreading DarknessBrett
Fake NewsPresident Wayne Walker
Going Vertical Henry "Hank" Iba
2018BetrayedMayor Alderman
Easy Way OutMartin
Followed Wallace Fleischer
2019Sensory PerceptionPresident of United Earth
Gates of Darkness Joseph
Hold OnDr. Siedhoff
The IslandsHenry Thornton
The Last Full Measure Kepper
Down's RevengeDr. Sorkin
Heavenly DepositDonald
Spinning DryFrank Manghetti
2020A Medicine for the MindDr. Ernest Brownshort film
2021TorchAugust Lewin
Lockdown The Narrator
Insight Frank
The Dog of ChristmasRon
2022The Right to Bear ArmsBrutal Magnus
2023 Showdown at the Grand Lucky

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1974 All the Kind Strangers PeterTelevision film
1975 Gibbsville Jim MalloyTelevision film
1982 Coming Out of the Ice Victor HermanTelevision film
1985 Silent Witness Kevin DunneTelevision film
1993 Daybreak PresidentTelevision film
1994 Tales from the Crypt BennySeason 6 Episode 5 "Revenge is the Nuts"
1995 Tom Clancy's Op Center Bob Herbert, National Intelligence OfficerTelevision film
The X-Files Henry TrondheimSeason 2 Episode 19 "Død Kalm"
The Outer Limits LucasSeason 1 Episode 12 "The Conversion"
1996 Walker, Texas Ranger Sergeant Major Tom HawkinsSeason 4 Episode 2 "Patriot"
1997 Before Women Had Wings Billy JacksonTelevision film
1998 Lost Souls Victor RobinsonTelevision film
1999 The Jack Bull SlaterTelevision film
Star Trek: Voyager Captain Rudy RansomTwo-part episode "Equinox"
2000The VirginianSteveTelevision film
Dark Angel Donald LydeckerMain cast season 1, recurring season 2
2003 Carnivàle Henry "Hack" ScudderRecurring role
2004 Law and Order: Criminal Intent Mark Farrell
Alien Lockdown Dr. Alan WoodmanTelevision Film
Sucker Free City Anderson WadeTelevision Film
2005 Love's Long Journey TrentTelevision Film
2009 Fringe Andre HughesSeason 2 Episode 2 "Night of Desirable Objects"
2013Defending SantaJudge WillisTelevision Film
Cleaners Marcus WalkerRecurring season 2
2014 Bermuda Tentacles President DeStenoTelevision Film
2017Teen Star AcademyBurtTelevision Film
Twin Peaks Detective Clark
Empire of the SharksIan FeinTelevision Film
201840 and SingleStewart Temple
Mission PossibleCaptain Ted NapoleonTelevision Film
Goliath MickeyRecurring season 2
TorqueAgent Curtis
6 Children & 1 GrandfatherDavid McDollTelevision Film
2019Ovid and the Art of LoveAugustusTelevision Film

References

  1. 1 2 Willis, John; Monush, Barry, eds. (2006). Screen World: 2005 Film Annual. Vol. 56. New York: Applause Books. p. 373. ISBN   978-1-557-83668-7.
  2. "An Interview With Actor John Savage". FOX 5 San Diego. June 19, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  3. "John Savage". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . 2014. Archived from the original on April 10, 2014.
  4. "John Savage Uses Film To Help His Neighbors". The New York Times. February 28, 1988.
  5. 1 2 "Robert Duvall Has Been Married 4 Times: Meet His Ex-Wives and Current Wife Luciana". www.yahoo.com. October 18, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  6. says, Jim (April 3, 2020). "John Savage Draws Strength from Fan Recognition, Military Veterans – Hollywood in Toto". www.hollywoodintoto.com. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  7. "The Tribe From 'Hair' Reunites After 40 Years". www.wbur.org. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "John Savage". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  9. "John Savage". LA Music Awards. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  10. Denby, David (March 19, 1979). "'Hair' Transplanted". New York . Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  11. Muir, John Kenneth (2007). The Rock & Roll Film Encyclopedia. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN   978-1557836939.
  12. Deal, David (October 18, 2011). Television Fright Films of the 1970s. McFarland. ISBN   978-0786455140.
  13. Hischak, Thomas S. (July 9, 2012). American Literature on Stage and Screen: 525 Works and Their Adaptations. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN   9780786492794.
  14. Mamet, David (July 22, 2014). American Buffalo. New York City: Grove/Atlantic, Inc. ISBN   978-0802191809.
  15. Winick, Margot (January 1, 1996). Spaghetti Nightmares: Italian Fantasy-horrors as Seen Through the Eyes of Their Protagonists. Fantasma Books. ISBN   978-0963498274.
  16. Patterson, Hannah (November 19, 2007). The Cinema of Terrence Malick: Poetic Visions of America. Columbia University Press. ISBN   978-0231850117.
  17. Ruditis, Paul (2003). Star Trek Voyager Companion. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-0743417518.
  18. Garcia, Frank; Phillips, Mark (September 27, 2013). Science Fiction Television Series, 1990–2004: Histories, Casts and Credits for 58 Shows. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN   978-0786491834.
  19. Terrace, Vincent (November 12, 2012). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2d ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN   978-0786486410.
  20. Stevens, Dennis J. (April 19, 2011). Media and Criminal Justice: The CSI Effect. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. ISBN   978-1449658120.
  21. Harvey, Dennis (October 20, 2015). "Film Review: 'Tales of Halloween'". Variety . Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  22. Nordine, Michael (August 29, 2016). "'In Dubious Battle' Trailer: James Franco Takes on John Steinbeck in His Latest Literary Adaptation". IndieWire . Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  23. Collins, Sean T. (August 7, 2017). "'Twin Peaks' Recap: In Arms' Way". Rolling Stone . Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  24. Thompson, Melissa (June 2, 2017). "THE GOONIES, SUPERMAN, LETHAL WEAPON Filmmaker Richard Donner Gets Tribute By The Academy June 7". We Are Movie Geeks. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  25. "235: John Savage". ART19. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  26. "An unlikely trip from Dirty Vegas to the South Shore". The Boston Globe . August 19, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  27. "John Savage". LA Music Awards. Retrieved June 23, 2023.