Jerry Zaks

Zaks worked across film director, stage actor, television actor, theatre director and director and 1 further recorded occupations. This article rests on 6 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

Jerry Zaks studied at Dartmouth College, Smith College and Eastside High School. The recorded working language is German. Places of work recorded in the authority are Germany. Employment is recorded with Dartmouth College. Distinctions recorded are Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical.

• Name — Jerry Zaks • Born — 7 September 1946 • Birthplace — Stuttgart, Germany • Occupation — Theatre, film director • Spouse — Melissa Gooding

Zaks was born in Stuttgart, Germany, the son of Holocaust survivors Lily (Gliksman) and Sy Zaks, a butcher. His family immigrated to the United States in 1948, finally settling in Paterson, New Jersey, where he graduated from Eastside High School in 1963. He graduated from Dartmouth College and received a Master of Fine Arts from Smith College.

He made his Broadway acting debut in the original production of Grease as "Kenickie" and appeared in Tintypes in 1980. He made his directing debut in 1981 with the off-Broadway production of Christopher Durang's Beyond Therapy, which co-starred Sigourney Weaver. He has directed many Broadway productions, both musicals and dramas. He has also directed many Off-Broadway productions, several at Playwrights Horizons and the Public Theater. He directed the City Center Encores! productions of Girl Crazy (November 2009), Stairway to Paradise (May 2007), and Bye Bye Birdie (May 2004). He was the director of the new musical The 101 Dalmatians Musical, which toured the United States from October 2009 through April 2010. Zaks was named "creative consultant" for the new musical The Addams Family, which opened on Broadway in April 2010. He directed the Broadway production of Sister Act, which opened in Spring 2011.

Zaks served as Resident Director at Lincoln Center from 1986 to 1990 and is a founding member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre.

Jerry lives with long time partner Melissa Gooding; Jerry has two children, Emma and Hannah Zaks.

Director • Year — Title — Notes • 1996 — O'Henry's Christmas — Segment "The Last Leaf" • 2000 — The Man Who Came to Dinner — TV movie • 2001 — Kristin — 2 episodes • 2001–2004 — Everybody Loves Raymond — 21 episodes • 2002 — Bram and Alice — 7 episodes • 2002–2003 — Frasier — 4 episodes • 2004 — All About the Andersons — 2 episodes • Married to the Kellys — Episode "Double Dating" • Hope and Faith — 2 episodes • 2006–2007 — Two and a Half Men — 3 episodes Actor • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1973 — The New Temperatures Rising Show — Episode "The Misguided Appendectomy" • M*A*S*H — Cpl. Phil Walker — Episode "L.I.P. (Local Indigenous Personnel)" • 1980 — Attica — Lenny Becker — TV movie • 1981 — The Gentleman Bandit — Carl Schnee • 1983–1984 — The Edge of Night — Louis Van Dine — 24 episodes • 2000 — The Beat — Episode "Can I Get a Witness?"

Director • Year — Title — Venue — Reference • 1986 — The House of Blue Leaves — Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway • The Front Page • 1987 — Anything Goes • 1989 — Lend Me a Tenor — Royale Theatre, Broadway • 1990 — Six Degrees of Separation — Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway • 1992 — Guys and Dolls — Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway • 1993 — Face Value — Cort Theatre, Broadway • Laughter on the 23rd Floor — Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway • 1995 — Smokey Joe's Cafe — Virginia Theatre, Broadway • 1996 — A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum — St. James Theatre, Broadway • 1999 — The Civil War • Epic Proportions — Helen Hayes Theatre, Broadway • 2000 — The Man Who Came to Dinner — American Airlines Theatre, Broadway • 2001 — 45 Seconds from Broadway — Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway • 2003 — Little Shop of Horrors — Virginia Theatre, Broadway • 2004 — La Cage aux Folles — Marquis Theatre, Broadway • 2006 — The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial — Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway • Losing Louie — Biltmore Theatre, Broadway • 2007 — A Bronx Tale — Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway • 2011 — Sister Act — Broadway Theatre, Broadway • 2016 — A Bronx Tale — Longacre Theatre, Broadway • 2017 — Hello, Dolly! — Sam S. Shubert Theatre, Broadway • Meteor Shower — Booth Theatre, Broadway • 2020 — Mrs. Doubtfire — Stephen Sondheim Theatre, Broadway • 2021 — The Music Man — Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway Actor • Year — Title — Role — Venue — Reference • 1972 — Grease — Kenickie (Replacement) — Eden Theatre, Broadway • 1978 — Once in a Lifetime — Weisskopf — Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway • 1980 — Tintypes — Performer — John Golden Theatre, Broadway Production Supervisor • Year — Title — Role — Venue — Reference • 1999 — Swing! — Production Supervisor — St. James Theatre, Broadway

Jerry Zaks was born on 7 September 1946 in Stuttgart. Zaks held the nationality of Germany and United States. Zaks was educated at Dartmouth College, Smith College and Eastside High School. Zaks worked as film director, stage actor, television actor and theatre director, and the authority record catalogues a further 2 occupations under the same name, among them director and actor. Zaks worked in Germany. Zaks was employed by Dartmouth College. Zaks worked in German.

Zaks worked for the screen, as film director. 30 films survive in the institutional catalogues, spanning 1996 to 2008. Among them are Marvin's Room (1996), The Annoying Kid (2002), Wheels of Fortune (2002), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (3) (2002), We Two Kings (2002) and Roe to Perdition (2003). The whole run is set out in the catalogue below.

As an actor, Zaks' screen credits include Outrageous Fortune, Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Husbands and Wives. On television he has appeared in M*A*S*H and The Edge of Night and directed episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Hope and Faith, and Two and a Half Men, among others. He also directed the feature films Marvin's Room and Who Do You Love? Marvin's Room won the Golden St. George at the 20th Moscow International Film Festival.

Director • Marvin's Room (1996) • Who Do You Love? (2008) Actor • Year — Title — Role • 1987 — Outrageous Fortune — Tobacco Clerk • 1989 — Crimes and Misdemeanors — Man on Campus • 1992 — Husbands and Wives — Dinner Party Guest

Zaks received the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater in 1994 and an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Dartmouth College in 1999. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2013.

• Year — Association — Category — Project — Result — Ref. • 1986 — Tony Awards — Best Direction of a Play — The House of Blue Leaves • 1988 — Best Direction of a Musical — Anything Goes • 1989 — Best Direction of a Play — Lend Me a Tenor • 1991 — Six Degrees of Separation • 1992 — Best Direction of a Musical — Guys and Dolls • 1995 — Smokey Joe's Cafe • 1996 — A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum • 2017 — Hello, Dolly! • 1980 — Drama Desk Award — Outstanding Actor in a Musical — Tintypes • 1986 — Outstanding Director of a Play — The Marriage of Bette & Boo / The House of Blue Leaves • 1988 — Outstanding Director of a Musical — Anything Goes • 1989 — Outstanding Director of a Play — Lend Me a Tenor • 1991 — Six Degrees of Separation • 1991 — Outstanding Director of a Musical — Assassins • 1992 — Guys and Dolls • 2006 — Outstanding Director of a Play — The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial • 2022 — Drama League Award — Best Direction of a Musical — The Music Man • 1985 — Obie Award — The Marriage of Bette and Boo / The Foreigner • 1988 — Outer Critics Circle Awards — Best Direction — Wenceslas Square • 2022 — Best Direction of a Musical — Mrs. Doubtfire