Sam Wanamaker
An actor and director whose two-decade passion project resurrected Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the banks of the Thames, against all odds.
1919–1993 (age 74)·American actor and director·Birthday: June 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Sam Wanamaker was a man possessed by a vision. A Chicago-born actor with a solid career on Broadway and in films, he arrived in London in 1952, a refugee from the Hollywood blacklist due to his left-wing political views. Walking along the South Bank, he was dismayed to find only a plaque marking the site of Shakespeare's original Globe Theatre. That moment sparked a crusade. For over twenty years, Wanamaker campaigned, fundraised, cajoled, and dreamed, facing skepticism and immense financial hurdles to build a faithful reconstruction. He established the Shakespeare Globe Trust, orchestrated archaeological digs, and championed scholarly research into the 1599 playhouse. Tragically, he died in 1993, just four years before the Globe opened. The theatre that stands today, with its thatched roof and open yard, is his monumental legacy—a vibrant, working testament to his tenacity and a gift to actors, scholars, and audiences worldwide.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Sam was born in 1919, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sam Was Born
The biggest hits of 1919
Sam's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1919Born
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Started school
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1932Became a teenager
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Could drive
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1937Could vote
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Turned 21
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1949Turned 30
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 40
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 50
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 60
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 70
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1993Died at 74
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
Key Achievements
- Founded the Shakespeare Globe Trust and spearheaded the campaign to reconstruct Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.
- Directed and acted in numerous productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company and in London's West End.
- Had a significant film career, with roles in 'The Spy Who Came In from the Cold' and 'The Avengers.'
- Was nominated for four Emmy Awards for his television directing and acting work.
Did You Know?
He was one of the many artists investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in the 1950s.
His daughter, Zoë Wanamaker, is a celebrated British actress.
He played Iago to Paul Robeson's Othello in a landmark production at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1959.
The indoor candlelit theatre at the Globe complex, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, is named in his honor.
“I had a dream, and the dream was bigger than I was.”
