Biography
Who is John Savage?
Early life and real name
John Smeallie Youngs was born on August 25, 1949, in Old Bethpage on Long Island, New York. His parents were Muriel Vanderveer and Floyd-Jones Youngs Jr. Several of his siblings, including Gail and Jim Youngs, also pursued acting careers, while his sister Robin Young became a journalist.
After finishing his education at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, John began working with the Manhattan Children's Theatre Group. He eventually adopted the professional name John Savage.
How John became famous
John Savage became well known during the late 1970s through sensitive character portrayals in cinema. His first major film role came as Steven Pushkov in the war drama The Deer Hunter in 1978. He followed this with prominent parts in The Onion Field and the musical film Hair, both released in 1979.
These early cinematic performances earned him widespread critical acclaim. During the same period, he also performed in the Broadway production of David Mamet's play American Buffalo.
Career highlights
Over the decades, John appeared in numerous film and television projects. In 1991, he starred in director Lucio Fulci's final film, Door to Silence. He later appeared in the war film The Thin Red Line and guest-starred in Star Trek: Voyager as Captain Ransom.
His television work includes recurring roles as Donald Lydecker in Dark Angel and Henry Scudder in Carnivàle. He also appeared in episodes of Law and Order: Criminal Intent and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, alongside roles in the thriller Awakened and the military drama Fort Bliss.
Activism and personal life
During the 1980s and 1990s, John was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa and met Nelson Mandela. He assisted in securing Mandela's involvement in Spike Lee's 1982 film Malcolm X while working as an assistant production manager for the South Africa unit.
John was married to his first wife, Susan, until their divorce in 1969, and they share two children, including actress Jennifer Youngs. He was later married to South African actress Sandi Schultz from 1993 to 2002.
Birthday and age
John Savage was born on August 25, 1949, which makes John 77 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. John shares the date with 34 other famous people.
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