Chris Sarandon ( ; born July 24, 1942) is an American actor. He is well known for playing Jerry Dandrige in Fright Night (1985), Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride (1987), Detective Mike Norris in Child's Play (1988), and Jack Skellington's speaking voice in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Leon Shermer in Dog Day Afternoon (1975).
Early life Christopher Sarandon was born on July 24, 1942 and raised in Beckley, West Virginia, the son of Greek-American restaurateurs Cliffie () and Chris Sarandon. His father, whose surname was originally Sarondonethes (), was born to Ottoman Greek parents in Istanbul.
Sarandon graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley. He earned a degree in speech at West Virginia University, and earned his master's degree in theater from Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C.
Career
After graduation, he toured with numerous improvisational companies and became much involved with regional theatre, making his professional debut in the play The Rose Tattoo during 1965. In the summer of 1968 he and his then-wife, Susan Sarandon, worked as actors at the Wayside Theatre in Middletown, Virginia. Later that year, Sarandon moved to New York City, where he obtained his first television role as Dr. Tom Halverson for the series The Guiding Light (1973–1974). He appeared in the primetime television films The Satan Murders (1974) and Thursday's Game before obtaining the role in Dog Day Afternoon (1975), a performance which earned him nominations for Best New Male Star of the Year at the Golden Globes and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Sarandon appeared in the Broadway play The Rothschilds and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, as well making regular appearances at numerous Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw festivals in the United States and Canada. He also had a series of television roles, some of which (such as A Tale of Two Cities in 1980) corresponded to his affinity for the classics. He also had roles in the thriller film Lipstick (1976) and as a demon in the film The Sentinel (1977).
To avoid being typecast in villainous roles, Sarandon accepted various roles of other types during the years to come, portraying the title role of Christ in the television film The Day Christ Died (1980). He received accolades for his portrayal of Sydney Carton in a TV-film version of A Tale of Two Cities (1980), co-starred with Dennis Hopper in the 1983 film The Osterman Weekend, which was based on the Robert Ludlum novel of the same name, and co-starred with Goldie Hawn in the film Protocol (1984). These were followed by another mainstream success as the vampire Jerry Dandrige in the horror film Fright Night (1985). He starred in the 1986 TV film Liberty, which addressed the making of the Statue of Liberty.
Chris Sarandon's other film roles include Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride (1987) and Mike Norris in Child's Play (1988). In 1992, he played Joseph Curwen/Charles Dexter Ward in The Resurrected. He also played Jack Skellington, the main character of the animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), and has since reprised the role in other productions, including the video games Kingdom Hearts and The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge. Sarandon also reprised his role as Jack for several Disneyland Halloween events and attractions, including Halloween Screams, the Frightfully Fun Parade, and the Haunted Mansion Holiday, a three-month overlay of the Haunted Mansion.
Sarandon appeared in TV again with a recurring role as Dr. Burke on NBC's long-running medical drama ER.
In 1991 he performed on Broadway in the short-lived musical Nick & Nora (based on the film The Thin Man) with Joanna Gleason, the daughter of Monty Hall. Sarandon married Gleason in 1994. They have appeared together in a number of films, including Edie & Pen (1996), American Perfekt (1997), and Let the Devil Wear Black (1999). During the 2000s he made guest appearances in several TV series, notably as the Necromancer demon, Armand, in Charmed, and as superior court judge Barry Krumble for six episodes of Judging Amy.
In 2006 he played Signor Naccarelli in the six-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical play The Light in the Piazza at Lincoln Center. Most recently he appeared in Cyrano de Bergerac as Antoine de Guiche, with Kevin Kline, Jennifer Garner, and Daniel Sunjata.
In 2016 he performed in the Off-Broadway production of the Dave Malloy musical Preludes as Anton Chekhov, Tchaikovsky, Alexander Glazunov, Leo Tolstoy, Tsar Nicholas II, and The Master.
He is on the advisory board for the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in Lewisburg, West Virginia.
Personal life Sarandon has been married three times. He married actress Susan Tomalin on September 16, 1967; she took his surname, thus becoming Susan Sarandon. The two met while attending Catholic University of America together in Washington, D.C. The marriage lasted for twelve years; the pair separated in 1975 and divorced in 1979.
He married his second wife, fashion model Lisa Ann Cooper, in 1980. The couple had two daughters and one son. After nine years, the marriage ended in divorce in 1989.
In 1994, he married his third wife, actress and singer Joanna Gleason. The couple met while performing in Broadway's short-lived 1991 musical Nick & Nora; they returned to the stage together in 1998's Thorn and Bloom. They also collaborated in several films together, such as Road Ends, Edie & Pen, Let the Devil Wear Black, and American Perfekt.
Sarandon is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes/Awards 1974 Thursday's Game Tom (The Counsellor) 1975 Dog Day Afternoon Leon Shermer Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated—Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – ActorNominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor 1976 Lipstick Gordon Stuart 1977 The Sentinel Michael Lerman 1979 Cuba Juan Pulido You Can't Go Home Again George Webber 1980 The Day Christ Died Jesus Christ A Tale of Two Cities Sydney CartonCharles Darnay 1981 Broken Promise Bud Griggs 1983 The Osterman Weekend Joseph Cardone 1984 Protocol Michael Ransome 1985 This Child Is Mine Craig Wilkerson Fright Night Jerry Dandrige Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor 1986 Liberty Jacque Marchant 1987 The Princess Bride Prince Humperdinck Mayflower Madam Matt Whittington 1988 Child's Play Detective Mike Norris Goodbye, Miss Fourth of July George Janus 1989 Collision Course Philip Mandras Slaves of New York Victor Okrent Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy John Lenczowski Forced March Ben Kline 1990 The Stranger Within Dan Whispers Tony 1991 The Resurrected Joseph CurwenCharles Dexter Ward 1993 Dark Tide Tim The Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington (voice) Speaking voice A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 1994 David's Mother Philip 1995 Just Cause Lyle Morgan When the Dark Man Calls Lloyd Carson 1996 Terminal Justice Reginald Matthews No Greater Love Sam Horowitz Edie & Pen Max Bordello of Blood Rev. J.C. Current 1997 American Perfekt Deputy Sammy Road Ends Esteban Maceda 1998 Little Men Fritz Bhaer 1999 Let the Devil Wear Black Mr. Lyne 2000 Race Against Time Dr. Anton Stofeles Reaper Luke Sinclair 2001 Perfume Gary Packer 2005 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Kurotowa (voice) English dub by Walt Disney Pictures; originally released in Japanese in 1984 Loggerheads Rev. Robert Austin 2007 The Chosen One Zebulon Kirk (voice) 2008 My Sassy Girl Dr. Roark 2010 Multiple Sarcasms Larry 2011 Fright Night "Jay Dee" Cameo appearance 2012 Safe Mayor Danny Tremello 2013Curse of ChuckyDetective Mike NorrisArchive footage Frank the Bastard Tristan Pace 2014 Big Stone Gap Mario Barbari 2015 I Smile Back Roger
Television Year Title Role Notes 1969–1973 Guiding Light Dr. Tom Halverson 1978 You Can't Go Home Again George Webber Television film 1980 A Tale of Two Cities Sydney CartonCharles Darnay Television film1993Picket FencesColeEpisode: "The Dancing Bandit" 1994 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Martus Mazur Episode: "Rivals" 1995 The Outer Limits Dr. Pallas Episode: "Corner of the Eye"1997Adventures from the Book of VirtuesJim Dellingham-Young (voice)Episode: "Generosity" 1998 The Practice Dr Jeffrey Winslow 2 episodes Chicago Hope Dr. Gordon Mays 3 episodes 1999 Felicity Dr. Peter McGrath 5 episodes 1999–2000 Stark Raving Mad Caesar Radford 2 episodes 2000–2002 ER Dr. Burke 3 episodes 2002, 2004 Law & Order Defense Attorney Howard Pincham 2 episodes2002 The Court Justice Vorhees 3 episodes 2003 The Wild Thornberrys Myka (voice) Episode: "Look Who's Squawking"SkinMayor CoolidgeEpisode: "Endorsement" Charmed NecromancerArmand Episode: "Necromancing the Stone" 2004 Cold Case Adam Clarke Episode: "Volunteers" 2005 Danny Phantom Matt (voice) Episode: "Pirate Radio" 2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Wesley Masoner Episode: "Choreographed" 2010 Psych Ashton Bonaventure Episode: "Think Tank" The Good Wife Judge Howard Matchick Episode: "Taking Control" 2016 Orange Is the New Black Kip Carnigan Episode: "We'll Always Have Baltimore" 2017 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Count Dracula (voice) 3 episodes 2020 Prop Culture Himself Episode: "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"
Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes 1965 The Rose Tattoo Jack Hunter Broadway 1970 The Rothschilds Jacob Rothschilds 1971 Two Gentlemen of Verona Proteus 1977 Marco Polo Sings a Solo Tom Wintermouth Off-Broadway 1978 Broadway Performer Broadway 1979 The Woods Nick Off-Broadway 1980 Censored Scenes From King Kong Benchgelter Broadway 1985 The Voice of the Turtle Bill Page Off-Broadway 1991 Nick & Nora Performer Broadway 2005 The Light in the Piazza Signor Naccarelli Broadway 2007 Cyrano de Bergerac Comte de Guiche Broadway revival 2011 Through a Glass, Darkly Performer Off-Broadway 2012 The Exonerated Karry Max Cook Broadway 2015 Preludes Chekhov, Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy, Glazunov, Tsar Nicholas II, The Master Off-Broadway Video games Year Title Voice role Notes 2002 Kingdom Hearts Jack Skellington 2005 The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge 2006 Kingdom Hearts II 2013 Disney Infinity 2013 Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix 2014 Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix 2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 2023 Disney Dreamlight Valley 2024 Disney Speedstorm
Theme parks and live attractions Haunted Mansion Holiday – Jack Skellington Halloween Screams – Jack Skellington Frightfully Fun Parade – Jack Skellington Disney on Ice – Jack Skellington
Music videos Hands Clean — Alanis Morissette
Awards and nominations +Awards and nominations Year Award Category Title Result 1975 NYFCC Award Best Supporting Actor Dog Day Afternoon Golden Globe New Star of the Year – Actor 1976 Academy Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1986 Saturn Award Best Actor Fright Night 1992 Chainsaw Award Best Supporting Actor The Resurrected
References
External links
Chris Sarandon at the Internet Off-Broadway Database Chris Sarandon – Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org The West Virginia & Regional History Center at West Virginia University houses the papers of Chris Sarandon as a part of the Distinguished West Virginians Archive