Chris Sarandon, an acclaimed actor known for his diverse roles, celebrates the 50th anniversary of his breakthrough performance in Sydney Lumet’s heist thriller “Dog Day Afternoon.” Released in 1975, the film was a turning point for Sarandon. He wasn’t done with his demonstration of outstanding talent—he played Leon Shermer, the fictionalized former lover of the main character. Though his career has been incredibly successful, unsurprisingly given his talent, it has been plagued with personal problems and financial issues.
Sarandon’s rise to fame continued into the late 1980s with iconic roles in films such as “The Princess Bride” (1987), “Fright Night” (1985), and “Child’s Play” (1989). His versatility as an actor really shined when he played Jack Skellington in Tim Burton’s animated classic, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in 1993. This role truly revealed his incredible range and talent. These successes would mark Sarandon’s professional and artistic triumphs. By the end of the 80s, he suffered a major financial turnaround that would vastly affect his life gratitude.
In an unvarnished postmortem, Sarandon addressed the financial obstacles he encountered. He faced these difficulties after having speculated on and built up seven brownstone buildings on the West Side of Manhattan. Second, he shared his own experience of an untrustworthy partner leaving him high and dry, with the loss of all savings devastating.
“I invested money with a guy who defrauded me. I bought into a number of brownstone buildings in Manhattan when I was doing well, and the guy ended up being a fraud, and because I had signed all of the mortgages with this guy, I became as liable as he was, not criminally, but financially. So I lost everything. I’d been saving money all through my career for my old age, and I had to liquidate it.” – Chris Sarandon
Sarandon’s second marriage was to fellow actor Susan Sarandon in 1967 when he was 24 years old. By the time “Dog Day Afternoon” premiered, the couple had split up long ago. They formally divorced in 1979. Following their split, Susan Sarandon pursued relationships with notable figures such as director Louis Malle, musician David Bowie, and actor Tim Robbins.
Even through these personal tribulations, Chris Sarandon has not lost his love for the craft and art of acting. He ventured into podcasting during the Covid-19 lockdown with “Cooking By Heart,” a platform where he shares culinary experiences and engages with guests about their lives.
His impact on the theatre world is no less important, though not every project has gone according to plan. Sarandon had responded to her Broadway musical venture by appearing in “Nick & Nora.” It was a disaster. Nevertheless, he has enjoyed guest roles on various television shows and often plays doctors, showcasing his adaptability in different genres.
Looking back on his career and the impact of fan interactions, Sarandon admitted he has been impacted by the overwhelming kindness and support he continues to receive.
“A gentleman last weekend, in Houston, Texas, walked up to me with his teenage daughter and his wife, and they handed me a little diorama that they had been up most of the night making with all their favorite characters of mine,” – Chris Sarandon
The actor shared insights about life and its inherent challenges, offering wisdom shaped by experience:
“Life is pain … anyone who says differently is selling something.” – Chris Sarandon
From all his successes and failures, Sarandon stays humble. He recognizes that as essential to the creative process as connection and dialogue between friends and fans is.
“Let’s talk about what’s been going on in our lives.” – Chris Sarandon
As he reflects on his journey from a young man discovering cinema to an established actor navigating the complexities of fame and personal life, Sarandon’s story is one of resilience. As an artist, he never compromises, and as a performer he never stops learning and captivating audiences.