Jack Aranson

Jack Aranson (December 29, 1924 – January 3, 2008) was an American actor born in Los Angeles, California, whose Broadway career spanned from 1970 to 2001. Trained in Ireland and England, he became known for his work in Shakespearean roles and for creating and managing several small theater companies in California and New York, making him one of the last actor-managers of his kind.

Aranson began his professional career by completing a two-year apprenticeship at the Old Vic Theatre School in England. He subsequently toured Ireland performing Shakespearean roles, appearing in a different play each night. In 1961, he appeared in the film Murder in Eden, produced at Ardmore Studios. He later came to New York City to perform in Moby Dick as Captain Ahab and in King Lear alongside Orson Welles. He also served as director of Shakespeare at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Among his most distinctive achievements was a one-man stage adaptation of Moby Dick in which he portrayed 13 separate characters. The performance was filmed live by producer John Robert and directed by Paul Stanley, and it holds the highest ranking of any film version of Moby Dick on IMDb. Time magazine named the performance one of the great one-man shows of all time.

On Broadway, Aranson starred in Dylan and appeared in Follies. In 1976, he guest-starred in two episodes of the American television series Gibbsville. Aranson died in Sleepy Hollow, New York, five days after his 83rd birthday.