Jay W. Jensen (August 4, 1931 – February 17, 2007) 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.

Biography

Early years

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 nightclub band,and his mother was a nightclub manager. As a child, he developed a love of film and drama. During his school years, he 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 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, Jensen 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, he flew to Los Angeles.


Hollywood
In California, Jensen traveled to Los Angeles for an interview with movie producer Joe Pasternak. Pasternak told Jensen he was leaving the motion picture business, and Jensen's dreams of a movie career were dashed. However, while in Hollywood, Jensen became friends with actress Carroll Baker. He 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 MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

Jensen's circle of friends included actors Jim Backus and Hurd Hatfield. After a failed interview with DesiLu Productions, Jensen decided to return to Florida. It was also during the 1950s that he became a close friend of the writer and playwright Tennessee Williams.