Stella Starsky

Gregory Rozakis, born in Brooklyn in 1943, was an American actor and playwright who pursued a career in the performing arts. He studied acting under Lee Strasberg and made his debut on television in 1962 with a teleplay he also acted in. His Broadway debut came in 1963 with William Inge's "Natural Affection," where his performance was highly praised, though the play itself received mixed reviews.

Rozakis viewed acting primarily as a means to achieve financial security, with the ultimate goal of dedicating himself to writing. He adapted and staged a modern version of Euripides' "Orestes" in 1970. His film career included roles in "America America," where he portrayed an Armenian immigrant, and Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club," in which he fulfilled a long-held ambition to play Charlie Chaplin. His final film appearance was in John Patrick Shanley's "Five Corners." Rozakis passed away in 1989 due to complications from HIV.

Born in Brooklyn in 1943, Gregory Rozakis began his journey in the arts by attending New York University and studying with the renowned acting coach Lee Strasberg. His early work saw him writing and acting in his own teleplay, "Chalk Marks on a Brick Wall," for the CBS series "Lamp Unto My Feet" in 1962. The following year marked his Broadway debut in William Inge's "Natural Affection." Despite the play's brief run and mixed reception, Rozakis's performance as the son was singled out by critics as a standout, with one reviewer calling him "magnificent" and "unforgettable." In interviews from this period, Rozakis expressed his ambition to use his acting success as a stepping stone towards a full-time career as a playwright, seeing acting as a way to "sell his youth" to achieve the necessary security.

Rozakis's dedication to writing manifested in his 1970 modern adaptation of Euripides' "Orestes," a project in which he also starred. His filmography includes notable appearances such as his role as a Christ-like Armenian immigrant in Elia Kazan's "America America." A significant moment in his film career was his portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club," fulfilling a personal ambition to embody one of his early inspirations who excelled in multiple creative capacities. His final film role was in John Patrick Shanley's "Five Corners," where his performance as a police officer was recognized as one of the film's strong points. Beyond his professional work, Rozakis also publicly expressed his admiration for Cher's Oscar-winning performance in "Moonstruck."

“I'd like to achieve the security of a successful actor, then devote myself exclusively to writing. But right now, I'm more valuable to myself as an actor than as a playwright. I'm selling my youth on the stage and screen. This country has a fetish for youth – People can't seem to get enough of it. It's almost pathetic. I'm not so good-looking, but I am young — and I'm not such a bad actor.”

“But it is Gregory Rozakis, making his Broadway debut, whom you will never forget. His aching misery as that boy is staggering and at the play's end he becomes a monumentally tragic figure, almost soaring off the stage and into mid-air in a violence of revenge.”

“As an actor with many years' experience, I've always maintained that an Academy Award should be given those actors and actresses not only who give a superbrilliant performance in film, but whose characterization and performance somehow make us feel like a zillion dollars and grateful we were born. As brilliant as Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, and poor, dear Sally Kirkland were in their respective movies, it was only Cher who made me feel like a zillion and happy that I was born. Cher, this is my love letter to you! -Greg Rozakis, Brooklyn”