Mike Nussbaum
American actor and director (1923–2023)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Myron G. Nussbaum (December 29, 1923 – December 23, 2023) was an American actor and director.
December 29, 1923
Mike Nussbaum | |
|---|---|
Nussbaum in 1974 | |
| Born | Myron Nussbaum December 29, 1923 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | December 23, 2023 (aged 99) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupations | Actor, director |
| Years active | 1950–2023 |
| Spouses | Annette Brenner
(m. 1949; died 2003)Julie Brudlos (m. 2004) |
| Children | 3, including Susan and Karen |
Early years
Myron Nussbaum (he adopted "G." while in the Army, to avoid the "no middle initial" descriptor in roll call)[1] was born in New York City to a Jewish family on December 29, 1923,[1][2][3] and grew up in the Albany Park area of Chicago. He married soon after he returned to Chicago following military service during World War II. His Army assignments included being chief of the message center for General Dwight D. Eisenhower, in which he dispatched the official notification of Germany's surrender. For 20 years, he worked with his brother-in-law in an extermination business.[4]
Career
Nussbaum's acting career started in community theatre in the 1950s. In the 1960s, he was active in a developing professional theatrical community in Chicago, meeting a young David Mamet in the process.[4] He appeared in many of Mamet's plays both on and off Broadway, as well as in Chicago. His films include Field of Dreams, House of Games, Things Change, Fatal Attraction and Men In Black.
As a director, his work has included Where Have You Gone, Jimmy Stewart? (2002) by Art Shay.
Nussbaum also appeared in local TV commercials for Chicago's Northwest Federal Savings[5] (with the jingle, "It's Northwest Federal Savings time, sixty-three hours a week").[6] He also did national commercials for United Airlines and Scope mouthwash.[5]
Nussbaum continued to act through his 90s, and he was still working on theatre projects up until his death in 2023.[7][8]
Personal life and death
Recognition
Nussbaum received the following Jeff Awards:[11]
| Year | Award | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Director - Play | Lunching |
| 1997 | Actor in a Principal Role - Play | Racing Demon |
| 2001 | Special Award | --- |
| 2011 | Actor in a Supporting Role - Play | Broadway Bound |
| 2014 | Actor in a Supporting Role - Play | Smokefall |
| 2015 | Actor in a Supporting Role - Play | The Price |
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Early Edition | Yuri Rosanov |
| 1969 | The Monitors | Exercise Chief |
| 1971 | T.R. Baskin | Office Manager |
| 1974 | Harry and Tonto | Old Age Home Clerk |
| 1978 | Towing | Phil |
| 1987 | House of Games | Joey |
| 1987 | Fatal Attraction | Bob Drimmer |
| 1988 | Things Change | Mr. Green |
| 1989 | Field of Dreams | Principal |
| 1990 | Desperate Hours | Mr. Nelson |
| 1992 | Gladiator | Doctor |
| 1995 | Losing Isaiah | Dr. Jamison |
| 1995 | Steal Big Steal Little | Sam Barlow, Clifford Downey's Attorney |
| 1997 | Men In Black | Gentle Rosenberg |
| 2005 | The Game of Their Lives | Johnny Abruzzo |
| 2006 | Dirty Work | Gaga |
| 2008 | Osso Bucco | Uncle Sil |
| 2020 | Tom of Your Life | Father McMurphy |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Equalizer | Harry Dawson | Episode: "First Light" |
| 1992–1996 | The Commish | Ben Metzger | 3 episodes |
| 1993 | Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage | Gaspar DiGregorio | TV movie |
| 1993 | Gypsy | Weber, Los Angeles Theatre Manager | TV movie[12] |
| 1997 | The X-Files | Dr. Charles Goldstein | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Early Edition | Yuri Rosanov | TV movie |