Chris Sarandon is best known as Jerry Dandrige in the 1985 film Fright Night, or perhaps as Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride (1987).
The 1980s saw the actor at the height of his fame and success, appearing in 16 films and television projects within the decade. But despite his success on-screen, towards the end of the decade, the actor fell victim to a scam that left him penniless and forced him to start again.
© Getty ImagesRise to fame
The actor rose to fame after a breakthrough role as Leon Shermer on Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1976.
Chris appeared in Protocol (1984) as Michael Ransome, where he starred alongside Goldie Hawn and Richard Romanus. Later on, in 1988, he appeared as Detective Mike Norris in Child’s Play.
© Universal History Archive/UniverThe scam that left him penniless
But despite his acting upturn in the 1980s, in a 2025 interview with The Guardian, the now-retired actor revealed that he lost his life savings to an investment scam late that same decade.
He said: "I bought into a number of brownstone buildings in Manhattan when I was doing well, and the guy ended up being a fraud."
Chris explained that because he had signed onto a mortgage with the man who would end up defrauding him, he became financially liable.
He told The Guardian: "I lost everything. I'd been saving money all through my career for my old age, and I had to liquidate it."
During this time, the actor's marriage to his second wife, Lisa Ann Cooper, broke down, with the pair divorcing in 1989 after nine years.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyRebuilding his career
Left penniless and forced to start again, the actor moved to Los Angeles with Joanna Gleason with the intent to reignite his career; Chris would go on to marry Joanna in 1991. For him, moving to Los Angeles was "the beginning of [his] third life."
During this time, Chris began to take roles in "mortgage movies", projects he took for the sole purpose of covering his bills. But it wasn't long before his next big role; in 1993, Chris voiced the part of Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
He continued to build his acting portfolio, appearing in Just Cause as Lyle Morgan and in Little Men as Friedrich Bhaer.
© FilmMagicChris lives in Connecticut with his wife
The former actor now lives in Connecticut with his wife Joanna Gleason and has since retired from acting, bar the occasional Disney voice acting gig. His last on-screen appearance was as Sir Andrew in Sofa Shakespeare in 2020.
He told The Guardian in 2025: "Honestly, I don't have that fire in my belly anymore."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris started Cooking By Heart, a podcast where he interviews guests about their lives and memories of food.
The podcast is popular and was ranked in the top five per cent of podcasts globally by Listen Notes. His podcast episodes have featured guests from actors to authors, including Rosanna Arquette and Brad Dourif.
Chris spends a lot of time cooking and gardening at home and frequently shares his daily life with his Instagram followers.
