Richard (Sax) Brooks (1912 - 1992)

Born 18 May 1912 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States

Husband of Jean (Kelly) Brooks — married 4 Jun 1941 (to 13 Sep 1944) in Encino, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States

Husband of Harriette Selma (Levin) Brooks — married 11 Jul 1946 in Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada, United States

Husband of Jean Merilyn Simmons OBE — married 1 Nov 1960 (to 1980) in Monterey, California, United States

Died 11 Mar 1992 at age 79 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California, United States

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Biography

Richard (Sax) Brooks is Notable.

Richard (Sax) Brooks has Jewish Roots.

“Directing is only writing with a camera.” -- Richard Brooks.^[1]

Richard Brooks, born Reuben Sax, was an American screenwriter, film director, novelist and film producer. He is best known for directing "Blackboard Jungle," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," and "Elmer Gantry." He won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay for "Elmer Gantry."^[2]

Reuben Sax, the son of Russian-born Herman and Esther Sax, was born on 18 May 1912^[3] in Pennsylvania.^[4][5][6] Reuben graduated from Overbrook High School in May 1929. His school yearbook described him as follows: "Reuben Sax 'Jawge' 4290 Viola Street; Here is our dear friend and able clown. 'Jawge' is really most humorous. His amition is to pitch a no-hit no-run game against West Philly, which seems a quite difficult task for an aspiring second basemen. 'Jawge' cites loafing as his hobby. This bespeaks his energetic nature."^[7]

At some point in the 1930s, Sax began using the name Richard Brooks professionally. He changed his name legally in 1943.^[2]

He married Jean Kelly (born Ruby Matilda Kelly) 4 June 1941 in Encino, Los Angeles, California. She was a film actress. They were divorced 13 September 1944 in Los Angeles.

He married Harriet Levin 11 July 1946 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They were divorced.

He married the actress Jean Simmons 1 November 1960 in Monterey, California.^[8] "Newlyweds Happy. British Actress Jean Simmons and Hollywood director Richard Brooks are happy following their marriage Tuesday at Salina, Calif. They left immediately following a civil ceremony for an undisclosed honeymoon destination."^[9] They were the parents of a daughter, born a year after their marriage. They were divorced in 1980.

Richard Brooks died on 11 March 1992 in Los Angeles.^[3][10] He was interred at Hillside Cemetery in Culver City.^[11]

Obituary:^[12]

Screenwriter, Director, Richard Brooks Dies

Associated Press

"Richard Brooks, who directed the classic Hollywood dramas "The Blackboard Jungle" and "In Cold Blood" and won an Academy Award for writing the script for "Elmer Gantry" died yesterday. He was 79."

"Brooks, who died at home, had been seriously ill for a month, said publicist Warren Cowan. The cause of death was listed as congestive heart failure."

"His book, "The Producer," is considered a definitive Hollywood novel. 'We have lost a fiery treasure,' said Arthur Hiller, president of the Directors guild of America. 'He was an individualistic writer, he was an individualistic director, and he was an individualistic person.' Other film credit include "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "The last Hunt," "The Brothers Karamazov," "Sweet Bird of Youth," "lord Jim," "The Professionals," "Bite the Bullet," "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and "Fever Pitch."

"Born May 18, 1912, In Philadelphia, Brooks was trained as a journalist and worked as a radio news writer in Los Angeles in the 1940s. About then, he began screenwriting with such forgettable efforts as "Whet Savage" and "Cobra Woman." After a stint in the Marine Corps, he directed his first film, "Crisis," in 1950. He turned to independent production in the early 1960s and never returned to the studios."

"He wrote the screenplay for "Key Largo," the 1948 film starring Bogart. In 1955, he garnered an Oscar nomination for writing "The Blackboard Jungle," which he also directed. The gritty tale of a teacher dealing with juvenile delinquents in a slum school made Signey Poitier a star, and was also notable for its use of rock and roll, including "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets."

"In 1960, Brooks won the Academy Award for the screenplay of "Elmer Gantry," which he also directed. It starred Lancaster as a slick evangelist. Brooks married another star of the film, Jean Simmons. Brooks directed and produced "In Cold Blood," the brutal 1967 film based on the Truman Capote best-seller. He received an academy Award nomination for the screenplay. He wrote the screenplay and also directed "Looking for Mr. Goodbar," the 1977 true-story sex-thriller starring Diane Keaton. He had mortgaged his house to make the movie, and its box-office success saved him from bankruptcy."

"Brooks is survived by daughter Kate Brooks and stepdaughter Tracy Granger."

Sources

1. ↑ Richard Brooks on Movie Quotes.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Wikipedia contributors, "Richard Brooks," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Brooks&oldid=939852860 (accessed March 25, 2020).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP9T-KY6 : 26 November 2014), Richard Brooks, 11 Mar 1992; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
4. ↑ "Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HF79-Y93Z : 15 February 2020), Rubin Sachs, 1912.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXMN-QCK : accessed 25 March 2020), Reuben Saxe in household of Herman Saxe, Philadelphia Ward 24, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing ED 736, sheet 8A, line 47, family 145, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1627; FHL microfilm 1,821,627.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHWV-16H : accessed 25 March 2020), Reuben Sax in household of Herman Sax, Philadelphia (Districts 1001-1236), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1216, sheet 22A, line 7, family 287, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2123; FHL microfilm 2,341,857.
7. ↑ "U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; School Name: Overbrook High School; Year: 1929.
8. ↑ "California Marriage Index, 1960-1985," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6X3-PT6 : 27 November 2014), Richard Sax and Jean M Simmons, 01 Nov 1960; from "California, Marriage Index, 1960-1985," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2007); citing Monterey, California, Center of Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento.
9. ↑ Seattle Post-Intelligencer Thursday, November 3, 1960, Seattle, WA, page 3.
10. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JKRS-NQ3 : 20 May 2014), Richard Brooks, 11 Mar 1992; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #6509, database and images (accessed 25 March 2020), memorial page for Richard Brooks (18 May 1912–11 Mar 1992), citing Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
12. ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, Thursday, march 12, 1992, San Francisco, CA, page 46.