--- name: "Sam Jaffe" canonical: "https://film.one/person/sam-jaffe" fi1m_id: "sam-jaffe" imdb_id: "nm0415488" tmdb_id: 10024 wikidata_id: "Q719247" roles: ["Actor"] born: "10 March 1891" died: "24 March 1984" reviewed_on_fi1m: 7 average_fi1m_score: 76 average_as: "actor" average_over: 7 updated: "2026-09-25T05:00:17.826922+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Sam Jaffe ## Identity Sam Jaffe - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sam-jaffe - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** sam-jaffe - **IMDb ID:** nm0415488 - **TMDB ID:** 10024 - **Wikidata ID:** Q719247 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Jaffe, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q719247, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0415488/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10024 Actor. Born 10 March 1891 in New York City, New York, U.S.. Died 24 March 1984. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 10 March 1891, New York City, New York, U.S. - **Died:** 24 March 1984 - **Active:** 1937–1971 - **Also known as:** Shalom "Sam" Jaffe, Shalom Jaffe - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination - **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 7 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 68 (2), 1940s 64 (1), 1950s 82 (3), 1970s 86 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 72 across 5 titles - **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 6 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 6, Adventure 3, Crime 2, Action 1, Comedy 1, Fantasy 1 - **Screen time:** 13 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $179m across 5 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Jaffe, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q719247, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0415488/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10024 ## Streaming the US now - **Tubi:** [*Ben-Hur*](https://film.one/film/ben-hur.md) (76) - **The Roku Channel:** [*Lost Horizon*](https://film.one/film/lost-horizon.md) (68) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Sam Jaffe > Sam Jaffe spent half a century being older, wiser and further from home than the stars he served, mostly in a whisper. Give the wisdom something to push against and he is quietly formidable; give it a dim room and it becomes a sermon. Sam Jaffe's most famous scene is a man sitting still in the dark. In *Lost Horizon* (1937) he is the High Lama, made up to look two hundred, telling Ronald Colman in whole paragraphs about kindness, moderation and the storm coming for the world outside. Frank Capra shoots him as a sermon and plainly believes every word. We believed it too, more or less, and we still felt the film sit down and wait for him to finish. A whispery voice and an unblinking face are useful things to have in a picture, and they stop a picture dead when nobody is allowed to interrupt them. He came to films late. He had studied engineering and taught mathematics before joining the Washington Square Players in 1915, worked Broadway through the 1920s and 30s, including *Grand Hotel* in 1930, and did not make a film until *The Scarlet Empress* in 1934, when he was past forty. That is why there is no young Jaffe on screen. From the start he was the old man, the professor, the doctor, the visitor from somewhere else, and the studios leaned on the curly hair and the homely face to keep him there. *Lost Horizon* set the pattern. *Gunga Din* (1939), for George Stevens, gave him the title role, a young water-carrier, at 47, and critics have been noticing the gap ever since. The parts that outlast the mystics are the ones with a plan in them. For John Huston in *The Asphalt Jungle* (1950) he is Doc Riedenschneider, the man who designs the robbery, and the whisper that made the High Lama a lullaby turns cool and calculating. Robert Wise cast him as Professor Barnhardt in *The Day the Earth Stood Still* (1951), the one scientist in the film who listens. In William Wyler's *Ben-Hur* (1959) he is Simonides, the loyal steward, and our review found no reason to single him out, which is roughly the Jaffe position: sound work in a room built for someone else. Television then gave him a mentor's chair as Dr Zorba in *Ben Casey* from 1961 to 1965, and he kept taking character parts into the 1980s. Jaffe once said, "I disagree with Stanislavsky saying that there are small actors but no small parts." He knew which he had, and he chose them for what they said rather than how long they ran. The High Lama has nothing to do but be right. Doc Riedenschneider has to be right against people who would rather he were not, and that is the better use of him. Start with the heist. Come to the valley afterwards, and bring patience; he will not hurry, and after a while you stop wanting him to. ## Biography Sam Jaffe (born Shalom Jaffe) was an American actor. He was born on 10 March 1891 in New York City and died on 24 March 1984. He began working in film in 1934 and appeared in stage productions as well as films and television over a career spanning more than six decades. Jaffe played the High Lama in *Lost Horizon* (1937) and the title role in *Gunga Din* (1939). He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Doc Erwin Riedenschneider in *The Asphalt Jungle* (1950). Other film roles include Professor Jacob Barnhardt in *The Day the Earth Stood Still* (1951), Simonides in *Ben-Hur* (1959) and Bookman in *Bedknobs and Broomsticks* (1971). He co-starred as Dr David Zorba in the television series *Ben Casey* (1961–1965). Jaffe was blacklisted in the 1950s but continued to work in films directed by Robert Wise and William Wyler. He was also a teacher, musician and engineer. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (7) - *Columbo* (1971), Fi1m 86, as Henry Willis — [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md) - *Ben-Hur* (1959), Fi1m 76, as Simonides — [page](https://film.one/film/ben-hur.md) - *The Day the Earth Stood Still* (1951), Fi1m 82, as Prof. Jacob Barnhardt — [page](https://film.one/film/the-day-the-earth-stood-still.md) - *The Asphalt Jungle* (1950), Fi1m 88, as Doc Erwin Riedenschneider — [page](https://film.one/film/the-asphalt-jungle.md) - *Gentleman's Agreement* (1947), Fi1m 64, as Professor Fred Lieberman — [page](https://film.one/film/gentlemans-agreement.md) - *Gunga Din* (1939), Fi1m 68, as Gunga Din — [page](https://film.one/film/gunga-din.md) - *Lost Horizon* (1937), Fi1m 68, as High Lama — [page](https://film.one/film/lost-horizon.md) ## Complete filmography (65) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *On Location with Gunga Din* (2004), as Gunga Din (archive footage) - *George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey* (1985), as (archive footage) - *On the Line* (1984), as El Gabacho - *Nothing Lasts Forever* (1984), as Father Knickerbocker - *Foul Play* (1981), series, Actor - *Battle Beyond the Stars* (1980), as Dr. Hephaestus - *Gideon's Trumpet* (1980), as 1st Supreme Court Justice - *Buck Rogers in the 25th Century* (1979), series, as The Keeper - *Flying High* (1978), series, Actor - *The Bionic Woman* (1976), series, Actor - *Medical Story* (1975), series, as Dr. Gershowitz - *Harry O* (1974), series, Actor - *The Snoop Sisters* (1973), series, as Issac Waldersack - *Kojak* (1973), series, as Papa — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md) - *Saga of Sonora* (1973), as Old Sam - *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), series, Actor - *Mooch Goes to Hollywood* (1971), as Sam Jaffe - Party guest (uncredited) - *Enemies* (1971), as Gittelman - *Bedknobs and Broomsticks* (1971), as Bookman - *Columbo* (1971), series, as Henry Willis — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md) - *Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?* (1971), as Toby - *Alias Smith and Jones* (1971), series, Actor - *The Tell-Tale Heart* (1971), Actor - *The Old Man Who Cried Wolf* (1970), as Abe Stillman - *Quarantined* (1970), as Mr. Berryman - *Nanny and the Professor* (1970), series, Actor - *The Dunwich Horror* (1970), as Old Whateley - *Night Gallery* (1969), as Bleum - *The Great Bank Robbery* (1969), as Brother Lilac Bailey (art forger) - *Tarzan's Jungle Rebellion* (1967), as Dr. Singleton - *A Guide for the Married Man* (1967), as Technical Adviser - *Guns for San Sebastian* (1967), as Père Joseph - *Tarzan* (1966), series, as Dr. Singleton - *Batman* (1966), series, as Zoltan Zorba - *Daniel Boone* (1964), series, as Jed Tolson - *Damon and Pythias* (1962), Producer - *Ben Casey* (1961), series, as David Zorba - *Cain's Hundred* (1961), series, as Louis Speckter - *The Defenders* (1961), series, as Dr. William Graham - *The Islanders* (1960), series, as Papa Mathews - *The Westerner* (1960), series, as Old Man McKeen - *In the Presence of Mine Enemies* (1960), as Emmanuel - *Ben-Hur* (1959), as Simonides — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/ben-hur.md) - *Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse* (1958), series, Actor - *The Barbarian and the Geisha* (1958), as Henry Heusken - *Naked City* (1958), series, as Lazslo Lubasz - *The Donna Reed Show* (1958), series, Actor - *The Spies* (1957), as Sam Cooper - *Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1955), series, as The Abbot, Hal Ballew - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as 1st Supreme Court Justice - *The Day the Earth Stood Still* (1951), as Prof. Jacob Barnhardt — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-day-the-earth-stood-still.md) - *Tales of Tomorrow* (1951), series, Actor - *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 — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-asphalt-jungle.md) - *Rope of Sand* (1949), as Dr. Francis Kittridge Hunter - *The Accused* (1949), as Dr. Romley - *Gentleman's Agreement* (1947), as Professor Fred Lieberman — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/gentlemans-agreement.md) - *13 Rue Madeleine* (1947), as Mayor Galimard - *Stage Door Canteen* (1943), as Sam Jaffe - *Gunga Din* (1939), as Gunga Din — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/gunga-din.md) - *Lost Horizon* (1937), as High Lama — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/lost-horizon.md) - *We Live Again* (1934), as Gregory Simonson - *The Scarlet Empress* (1934), as Grand Duke Peter - *Emergency Call* (1933), Associate Producer ## Gallery - ![Sam Jaffe](https://film.one/media/person/105597/gallery-d360229ca89c.jpg) Sam Jaffe — ABC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Sam_Jaffe_David_Zorba_Ben_Casey.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Publicity photograph taken on the production set of The Sad and Lonely Sundays, a second unsold pilot of the abandoned medical drama television project The Oath](https://film.one/media/person/105597/gallery-36179de2f928.jpg) Publicity photograph taken on the production set of The Sad and Lonely Sundays, a second unsold pilot of the abandoned medical drama television project The Oath — This photo release belonged to ABC Television. Of either ABC or Spelling Entertainment, Inc., this work for hire was of an anonymous photographer., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/1976_Sad_Lonely_Sundays_Oath_Jack_Albertson_Sam_Jaffe.jpg/1280px-1976_Sad_Lonely_Sundays_Oath_Jack_Albertson_Sam_Jaffe.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Publicity photograph taken on the production set of The Sad and Lonely Sundays, a second unsold pilot of the abandoned medical drama television project The Oath](https://film.one/media/person/105597/gallery-45a6419e9579.png) Publicity photograph taken on the production set of The Sad and Lonely Sundays, a second unsold pilot of the abandoned medical drama television project The Oath — This photo release belonged to ABC Television. Of either ABC or Spelling Entertainment, Inc., this work for hire was of an anonymous photographer., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/1976_Sad_Lonely_Sundays_Oath_Jack_Albertson_Sam_Jaffe.png/1280px-1976_Sad_Lonely_Sundays_Oath_Jack_Albertson_Sam_Jaffe.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Promotional photograph of Hortense Alden, Sam Jaffe and Siegfried Rumann (Sig Ruman) in the original Broadway production of Grand Hotel Caption reads as follows (1931)](https://film.one/media/person/105597/gallery-c79a36110d69.jpg) Promotional photograph of Hortense Alden, Sam Jaffe and Siegfried Rumann (Sig Ruman) in the original Broadway production of Grand Hotel Caption reads as follows (1931) — Theatre Magazine Company; Vandamm Studio, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Alden-Jaffe-Rumann-Grand-Hotel-1930.jpg/1280px-Alden-Jaffe-Rumann-Grand-Hotel-1930.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Dorothy McGuire, Gregory Peck & Sam Jaffe in a scene from the 1947 film Gentleman's Agreement](https://film.one/media/person/105597/gallery-d107e16010da.jpg) Dorothy McGuire, Gregory Peck & Sam Jaffe in a scene from the 1947 film Gentleman's Agreement — 20th Century Fox, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Gentleman%27s_Agreement_Publicity_Photo.jpg/1280px-Gentleman%27s_Agreement_Publicity_Photo.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Promotional photograph of Sam Jaffe in the original Broadway production of Grand Hotel Caption reads as follows:Season's Distinguished PerformancesAs Kringelein (1931)](https://film.one/media/person/105597/gallery-e76134009f90.jpg) Promotional photograph of Sam Jaffe in the original Broadway production of Grand Hotel Caption reads as follows:Season's Distinguished PerformancesAs Kringelein (1931) — Theatre Magazine Company; Vandamm Studio, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Jaffe-Grand-Hotel-1930.jpg/1280px-Jaffe-Grand-Hotel-1930.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1951: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *The Asphalt Jungle* ### Other awards — 1 won - Paul Robeson Award 1978: Paul Robeson Award (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sam-jaffe