Jay W. Jensen
Encyclopedia
Jay W. Jensen was a Miami Beach, Florida drama teacher known as "The Teacher to the Stars". Jensen is credited with inspiring the acting talents of such well known actors as Andy García
and Mickey Rourke
.
Jensen was born in Irvington, New Jersey. He was the only child of John W. and Thelma "Billie" Jensen. His father was a musician in a night-club band,and his mother was a night-club manager. As a child, Jay developed a love of film and drama. During his school years, Jensen studied ballroom dancing and acting. In 1950, his family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida where he earned an Associate of Arts degree from St. Petersburg Community College.
Jensen moved to Miami where he graduated from the University of Miami
with a BA in Education. In 1953,He left Florida to live and study in Havana, Cuba. While in Cuba, Jensen studied at the University of Havana
. Upon his return to Miami in 1954, he began teaching at Little River Junior High School.
After teaching for three years, Jay decided to accomplish his dream of being a motion picture actor and "go to Hollywood and get discovered." Along with his widowed mother, Thelma, and his cat Dracula, Jensen flew to Los Angeles, California.
. Pasternak told Jensen he was leaving the motion picture business, and Jay's dreams of a movie career were dashed. However, while in Hollywood, Jensen became friends with actress Carroll Baker
. Jensen became Baker's dance partner, and appeared as an extra in three of her movies: The Big Country
, But Not for Me
, and The Miracle
. Baker and Jensen performed a dance routine for the troops at the MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa, Florida.
Jensen's circle of friends included actors Jim Backus
and Hurd Hatfield
. After a failed interview with DesiLu Productions, Jay Jensen decided to return to Florida. It was also during the 1950s that Jensen became a close friend of famed writer Tennessee Williams
.
.
Jensen went on to earn a Master of Education Degree in Administration, Curriculum and Drama Education from the University of Miami. At Miami Beach High, he directed 300 hundred plays and musicals. His high school productions of the plays David & Lisa, The Great White Hope, Gypsy, Hair, The Impossible Years, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Viet Rock, where both ground breaking and controversial for the times.
In 1971, Jensen directed the play, The Serpent. One of the student-actors in the show was future movie star, Mickey Rourke
. Among his numerous other students were movie actors/actresses Andy García
, Neal Gold, Annabelle Gurwitch
; movie directors Brett Ratner
and Sara Sackner, rapper Luther Campbell
, sportscaster Roy Firestone
, executive producer Heather Winters, music composer Desmond Child
, casting director Debra Zane,artist Romero Britto
, and kickboxer Sherman Bergman. Jensen also worked with supermodel Niki Taylor
and coached Jennifer Fox in Gypsy.
In the early 1990s, Jensen retired as a full-time teacher. He continued to work as a part-time instructor for Adult and Community Education for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Jensen's co-faculty members at Fienberg-Fisher Adult and Community Education Center included fellow actors Sherman Bergman (his former student), Steven Brack, Lois Brooks, William Conroy, and Carl Starling.
On November 6, 1999, Jensen was inducted into the Miami Beach Senior High School Hall of Fame by the Miami Beach Senior High School Alumni Association.
Jensen was also involved in Mexican cinema and considered Mexico City his second home. He spoke Spanish and worked as an actor and casting director. Jensen acted in five Mexican produced films from 1965 to 1970; working with such directors as Luis Alcoriza and Albert Zugsmith.
Jensen acted in El gangster, Los cuatro Juanes,Paraiso, El pistolero fantasma, and La captura de Gabino Barrera.
In 2001, Jensen was the casting director for the Mexican production of, "I Never Saw Another Butterfly."
Jensen also served as drama consultant in Mexico City with the Peterson Schools.
in the 1950s. They met at the old Robert Clay Hotel in South Beach. The two men remained friends until Williams death.
Jensen spent his spare time lecturing at colleges, book fairs, and festivals dealing with his relationship with Williams. Jensen entitled his lecture, " The Other Side of Tennessee Williams. "
In 1998, in New Orleans from March 11-March 15 at the Tennessee Williams Literary Fest, Jensen was a featured speaker.
At the Tennessee Williams Festival on October 9–11, 2003, Jensen, along with the Reverend Walter Dakin, Scholars Robert Canon, Erma Duricko, Kenneth Holditch, and Colby Kullman were guest speakers on Williams life.
Jensen never married, but in the 1970s, he was engaged to transsexual dancer Jennifer Fox. The two appeared on The Joey Carr Show, a local South Florida television show to announce their engagement. Years later,Fox was interviewed in Class Act, a documentary on Jensen's life.
Jensen donated over 4 million dollars to such institutions as the University of Miami's Theater Arts Department, the School of Education, the Lowe Art Museum, the Ring Theater, and the Peterson Schools in Mexico.
He gave $100,000 to the Actor's Playhouse in Miami to their Theater's Capital Campaign. The Mainstage Auditorium Stage was dedicated in honor of Mr. Jensen and his parents, John W. and Thelma S. Jensen.
In 1997, he and his mother Thelma bequeathed 1 million dollars to the Lowe Art Museum in Miami, Florida for a pre-Columbian wing named in honor of his 92 year old mother. Jensen
also donated another million dollars to the Jerry Herman Ring Theater. In the lobby of The theater in bold letters it reads: The Jay W. Jensen, John W. and Thelma S. Jensen Visiting Artists Endowment.
In the July 29, 2002 issue of Time Magazine, Jensen was profiled along with other retirees regarding a meltdown in the stock market and eroding pension benefits. "I'm incensed," said Jensen of the scandals rocking the stock market. "Everytime I look I'm getting poorer." However, Jensen told the magazine that regardless of his losses, he still had a positive outlook on life, " My theory is, you die if you don't keep moving."
Andy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
and Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
.
Early years
Jensen moved to Miami where he graduated from the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
with a BA in Education. In 1953,He left Florida to live and study in Havana, Cuba. While in Cuba, Jensen studied at the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
. Upon his return to Miami in 1954, he began teaching at Little River Junior High School.
After teaching for three years, Jay decided to accomplish his dream of being a motion picture actor and "go to Hollywood and get discovered." Along with his widowed mother, Thelma, and his cat Dracula, Jensen flew to Los Angeles, California.
Hollywood
In California, Jensen traveled to Los Angeles for an interview with movie producer Joe PasternakJoe Pasternak
thumb|right|250px|Pasterrnak receiving his star on [[Hollywood Boulevard]] from [[Johnny Grant |Johnny Grant]] with [[Gene Kelly]] on the left on July 29, 1991....
. Pasternak told Jensen he was leaving the motion picture business, and Jay's dreams of a movie career were dashed. However, while in Hollywood, Jensen became friends with actress Carroll Baker
Carroll Baker
Carroll Baker is a former American actress who has enjoyed popularity as both a serious dramatic actress and, particularly in the 1960s, as a movie sex symbol...
. Jensen became Baker's dance partner, and appeared as an extra in three of her movies: The Big Country
The Big Country
Meanwhile, Terrill insists on riding into the canyon. Initially, Leech refuses to accompany him, and the other men follow his lead. However, after Terrill rides out alone, Leech catches up with him. The remaining hands again align themselves with Leech by following. The group soon rides into a trap...
, But Not for Me
But Not for Me
But Not for Me may refer to:*"But Not for Me" , a popular song by George and Ira Gershwin*But Not for Me , a 1959 film starring Clark Gable and Carroll Baker...
, and The Miracle
The Miracle (1959 film)
The Miracle is a 1959 remake of a 1912 German film Das Mirakel directed by Cherry Kearton and Max Reinhardt which in turn was based on a 1911 pantomime play of the same name by Karl Vollmöller.-Production history and reception:...
. Baker and Jensen performed a dance routine for the troops at the MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa, Florida.
Jensen's circle of friends included actors Jim Backus
Jim Backus
James Gilmore "Jim" Backus was a radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of Mr...
and Hurd Hatfield
Hurd Hatfield
William Rukard Hurd Hatfield was an American actor.-Biography:The son of William Henry Hatfield , an attorney who served as deputy attorney general for New York, and his wife, the former Adele Steele, Hatfield was born in New York City, and was educated at Columbia University before travelling to...
. After a failed interview with DesiLu Productions, Jay Jensen decided to return to Florida. It was also during the 1950s that Jensen became a close friend of famed writer Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
.
South Florida
In 1959, Jensen was rehired by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and began a 32 year career as a drama teacher at Miami Beach Senior High School. However, he didn't give up on his motion picture career. He co-starred in the South Florida produced independent film, Rehearsal For Sin. He also had a few uncredited roles in such movies as Racing Fever and Werewolves on WheelsWerewolves on Wheels
Werewolves on Wheels is a 1971 American exploitation film that blends two genres: the outlaw biker film and the traditional horror movie.-Plot:...
.
In 1971, Jensen directed the play, The Serpent. One of the student-actors in the show was future movie star, Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
. Among his numerous other students were movie actors/actresses Andy García
Andy García
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez , professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman...
, Neal Gold, Annabelle Gurwitch
Annabelle Gurwitch
Annabelle Gurwitch is an American comedic actress. She is best known as the original hostess of TBS's Dinner and a Movie. She is also a noted author and columnist and was most recently the host of Wa$ted! on Planet Green....
; movie directors Brett Ratner
Brett Ratner
Brett Ratner is an American film director, film producer and music video director. He is best known for directing the Rush Hour film series, The Family Man, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Tower Heist. He was also a producer on the Fox drama series, Prison Break.- Early life :Ratner was...
and Sara Sackner, rapper Luther Campbell
Luther Campbell
Luther R. Campbell , also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke or Luke, is a record label owner, rap performer , and actor...
, sportscaster Roy Firestone
Roy Firestone
Roy Firestone is an American sports commentator and journalist. Firestone is a graduate of Miami Beach High School and the University of Miami.-Television career:...
, executive producer Heather Winters, music composer Desmond Child
Desmond Child
Desmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...
, casting director Debra Zane,artist Romero Britto
Romero Britto
Romero Britto is a Brazilian Neo-pop artist, painter, serigrapher, and sculptor. He combines elements of cubism, pop art and graffiti painting in his work. He is known for his contemporary work. Britto has lived in Miami, Florida since 1989...
, and kickboxer Sherman Bergman. Jensen also worked with supermodel Niki Taylor
Niki Taylor
Nicole Renee "Niki" Taylor is an American model.-Early life:Taylor was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Ken and Barbara Taylor, a highway patrol lieutenant and a photographer, respectively. She was raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida, and attended Cooper City High School...
and coached Jennifer Fox in Gypsy.
In the early 1990s, Jensen retired as a full-time teacher. He continued to work as a part-time instructor for Adult and Community Education for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Jensen's co-faculty members at Fienberg-Fisher Adult and Community Education Center included fellow actors Sherman Bergman (his former student), Steven Brack, Lois Brooks, William Conroy, and Carl Starling.
On November 6, 1999, Jensen was inducted into the Miami Beach Senior High School Hall of Fame by the Miami Beach Senior High School Alumni Association.
Mexican cinema
Jensen acted in El gangster, Los cuatro Juanes,Paraiso, El pistolero fantasma, and La captura de Gabino Barrera.
In 2001, Jensen was the casting director for the Mexican production of, "I Never Saw Another Butterfly."
Jensen also served as drama consultant in Mexico City with the Peterson Schools.
Tennessee Williams
Jay W. Jensen became friends with writer/playwright Tennessee WilliamsTennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
in the 1950s. They met at the old Robert Clay Hotel in South Beach. The two men remained friends until Williams death.
In 1998, in New Orleans from March 11-March 15 at the Tennessee Williams Literary Fest, Jensen was a featured speaker.
At the Tennessee Williams Festival on October 9–11, 2003, Jensen, along with the Reverend Walter Dakin, Scholars Robert Canon, Erma Duricko, Kenneth Holditch, and Colby Kullman were guest speakers on Williams life.
Personal life
Jensen was an only child. His father, John W. Jensen died in the 1950s. His mother, Thelma aka Billie, died in January 1999 at the age of 93.Jensen never married, but in the 1970s, he was engaged to transsexual dancer Jennifer Fox. The two appeared on The Joey Carr Show, a local South Florida television show to announce their engagement. Years later,Fox was interviewed in Class Act, a documentary on Jensen's life.
Final years
Jensen received numerous awards during his life. He served as a regional director for the National Thespian Society, he hosted conferences before the Florida State Thespian Festival, and was also a Carbonell voter in South Florida.Jensen donated over 4 million dollars to such institutions as the University of Miami's Theater Arts Department, the School of Education, the Lowe Art Museum, the Ring Theater, and the Peterson Schools in Mexico.
He gave $100,000 to the Actor's Playhouse in Miami to their Theater's Capital Campaign. The Mainstage Auditorium Stage was dedicated in honor of Mr. Jensen and his parents, John W. and Thelma S. Jensen.
In 1997, he and his mother Thelma bequeathed 1 million dollars to the Lowe Art Museum in Miami, Florida for a pre-Columbian wing named in honor of his 92 year old mother. Jensen
also donated another million dollars to the Jerry Herman Ring Theater. In the lobby of The theater in bold letters it reads: The Jay W. Jensen, John W. and Thelma S. Jensen Visiting Artists Endowment.
In the July 29, 2002 issue of Time Magazine, Jensen was profiled along with other retirees regarding a meltdown in the stock market and eroding pension benefits. "I'm incensed," said Jensen of the scandals rocking the stock market. "Everytime I look I'm getting poorer." However, Jensen told the magazine that regardless of his losses, he still had a positive outlook on life, " My theory is, you die if you don't keep moving."