Sam Jaffe
Biography
Sam Jaffe was an American actor, teacher, musician, and engineer who was born on March 10, 1891, in New York City, New York, United States, and died on March 24, 1984, at the age of 93. Known in the acting field with 68 known credits, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1951 for his performance in the 1950 film The Asphalt Jungle. His film appearances also include Lost Horizon in 1937, Gunga Din in 1939, The Day the Earth Stood Still in 1951, and Ben-Hur in 1959. He was also known by the alternative name Shalom.
Career overview
Sam Jaffe was an American actor, teacher, musician, and engineer who was born in New York City on March 10, 1891. Throughout his career in entertainment, he established a recognizable presence in film, accumulating sixty-eight known acting credits. He may be best remembered for playing the title role in the 1939 film Gunga Din and for portraying the High Lama in the 1937 film Lost Horizon.
His film work extended into the late 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, during which he appeared in several notable and classic productions. In 1951, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1950 film The Asphalt Jungle. Additional notable film appearances from this era include roles in The Day the Earth Stood Still in 1951 and Ben-Hur in 1959.
Jaffe lived to the age of ninety-three, passing away on March 24, 1984. His multifaceted life encompassed his work in acting, education, music, and engineering, leaving a documented legacy in classic cinema recognized through his numerous film credits and award nomination.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
69 titles- The Hollywood Blacklist: The Survivors Tell Their Stories (2026) as self
- On Location with Gunga Din (2004) as Gunga Din (archive footage)
- Nothing Lasts Forever (1984) as Father Knickerbocker
- On the Line (1984) as El Gabacho
- Foul Play (1981)
- Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) as Dr. Hephaestus
- Gideon's Trumpet (1980) as 1st Supreme Court Justice
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) as The Keeper
- Flying High (1978)
- The Bionic Woman (1976)
- Medical Story (1975) as Dr. Gershowitz
- Harry O (1974)
- Kojak (1973) as Papa
- The Snoop Sisters (1973) as Issac Waldersack
- Saga of Sonora (1973) as Old Sam
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972)
- Columbo (1971) as Henry Willis
- Alias Smith and Jones (1971)
- Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) as Bookman
- Mooch Goes to Hollywood (1971) as Sam Jaffe - Party guest (uncredited)
- Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster? (1971) as Toby
- The Tell-Tale Heart (1971)
- Enemies (1971) as Gittelman
- Nanny and the Professor (1970)
- The Dunwich Horror (1970) as Old Whateley
- The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970) as Abe Stillman
- Quarantined (1970) as Mr. Berryman
- The Great Bank Robbery (1969) as Brother Lilac Bailey (art forger)
- Night Gallery (1969) as Bleum
- Guns for San Sebastian (1967) as Père Joseph
- A Guide for the Married Man (1967) as Technical Adviser
- Tarzan's Jungle Rebellion (1967) as Dr. Singleton
- Batman (1966) as Zoltan Zorba
- Tarzan (1966) as Dr. Singleton
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Jed Tolson
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- Damon and Pythias (1962) Producer
- The Defenders (1961) as Dr. William Graham
- Ben Casey (1961) as David Zorba
- Ben Casey (1961)
- Cain's Hundred (1961) as Louis Speckter
- The Islanders (1960) as Papa Mathews
- The Westerner (1960) as Old Man McKeen
- In the Presence of Mine Enemies (1960) as Emmanuel
- Ben-Hur (1959) as Simonides
- The Donna Reed Show (1958)
- Naked City (1958) as Lazslo Lubasz
- Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958)
- The Barbarian and the Geisha (1958) as Henry Heusken
- The Spies (1957) as Sam Cooper
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as The Abbot
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Hal Ballew
- Main Street to Broadway (1953) as Self (uncredited)
- Tales of Tomorrow (1951)
- The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) as Prof. Jacob Barnhardt
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as 1st Supreme Court Justice
- I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1951) as Sam Cooper
- Under the Gun (1951) as Samuel Gower
- The Asphalt Jungle (1950) as Doc Erwin Riedenschneider
- Rope of Sand (1949) as Dr. Francis Kittridge Hunter
- The Accused (1949) as Dr. Romley
- Gentleman's Agreement (1947) as Professor Fred Lieberman
- 13 Rue Madeleine (1947) as Mayor Galimard
- Stage Door Canteen (1943) as Sam Jaffe
- Gunga Din (1939) as Gunga Din
- Lost Horizon (1937) as High Lama
- The Scarlet Empress (1934) as Grand Duke Peter
- We Live Again (1934) as Gregory Simonson
- Emergency Call (1933) Associate Producer
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Sam Jaffe best known for?
Sam Jaffe is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Hollywood Blacklist: The Survivors Tell Their Stories (2026), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), Gideon's Trumpet (1980), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979).
When and where was Sam Jaffe born?
Sam Jaffe was born on March 10, 1891 in New York City, New York, U.S.. They passed away on March 24, 1984.
How many credits does Sam Jaffe have?
Sam Jaffe has accumulated over 69 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1933 to 2026.
What is Sam Jaffe's background in cinema and television?
Sam Jaffe was an American actor, teacher, musician, and engineer who was born on March 10, 1891, in New York City, New York, United States, and died on March 24, 1984, at the age of 93. Known in the acting field with 68 known credits, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1951 for his perf...