John Savage

John Savage was born on August 25th, 1949 in Old Bethpage, Long Island, New York, USA - the son of Muriel (née Smeallie), a housewife, and Floyd-Jones Youngs, an insurance salesman who served on Guadalcanal during World War II with the Marine Corps. His sister Robin Young is a radio host, his sister Gail Youngs is an actress and his brother Jim Youngs is an actor. His daughter Jennifer Youngs is an actress.

Savage appeared at the age of 14 in an off-Broadway production of the American temperance play 'The Drunkard'. He studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan, New York and made his Broadway debut among the chorus of the musical 'Fiddler On The Roof'.

Savage moved to Chicago, Illinois where he acted in experimental theatre and worked with the playwright David Mamet (his 'American Buffalo' co-star Robert Duvall would later marry his little sister Gail). Around the same time he truly established himself in the theatre world, his film career advanced to another level when Michael Cimino cast him in 'The Deer Hunter' (1978) which would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

It's reputed that Savage scored secret roles in a couple of underground "roughies", like legendary New Yorker Sylvester Stallone, but I've not seen these movies so I can't verify this. He picked up some interesting character parts in independent films, art films and television movies, developing a reputation as one of the most dependable and hardest-working actors around (a reputation that lasts to this day). He's always been happy to work abroad and he's consistently collaborated with filmmakers from around the globe. He's a favourite among genre movie fans of all stripes having worked extensively in just about every genre going.

In 1988, Savage travelled to South Africa and became involved in the struggle against apartheid, pledging his support to Nelson Mandela. He later became an assistant production manager on Spike Lee's film 'Malcolm X' (1992) which was partially shot in South Africa, where Savage was living at the time. Savage and Lee had already worked together in New York on 'Do The Right Thing' (1989) and would reunite for the controversial punk serial killer thriller 'Summer Of Sam' (1999). Savage also earned a special invitation to Italy around this time as a "guest for always" and he's worked with many Italian and Italian-American filmmakers over the years (a good friend is Italian-Canadian actor and playwright Nick Mancuso).

On television, Savage played the role of Donald Lydecker in 'Dark Angel' and he also had a recurring part as Henry Scudder on the cult show 'Carnivàle'. Most recently, he's been appearing in the tv show 'Twin Peaks'.

Among his good friends within the New York arts community are Harvey Keitel and Michael Pare. Former Screen Actors Guild President, Richard Masur of New York City, described Savage as one of America's most adventurous actors. In 2014, Savage attended controversial honoree Jane Fonda's Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony at the American Film Institute.

Currently filming ...

John Savage has at least 20 upcoming film projects currently listed as being in various stages of production and he's said to be back helping kids in community theatre in New York.