Background
Gam was born Rita MacKay in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Belle (Fately), who was born in Romania, and Milton A. MacKay, who was born in Alsace-Lorraine, to parents from Romania.
Gam was born Rita MacKay in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Belle (Fately), who was born in Romania, and Milton A. MacKay, who was born in Alsace-Lorraine, to parents from Romania.
Gam was raised in New York City. Gam"s acting career began on Broadway and in television, after which she moved on to films. She appeared first in the 1952 film noir The Thief, which starred Ray Milland.
In October 1952, she signed a long-term Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract.
Another notable role was Herodias in 1961"s King of Kings. She shared the Silver Bear for Best Actress award with Viveca Lindfors at the 1962 Berlin Film Festival, for their performances in Tad Danielewski"s Number Exit.
Gam appeared in a few more American films before working in Europe. She returned to the United States. to appear in small parts in films, including Klute in 1971, before taking up documentary film making.
In 2003, she appeared in the rotating cast of the Office-Broadway stage reading of Wit & Wisdom.
In 2004, she appeared in one of a series of ads for the Royal Bank of Scotland. Gam"s first husband was director Sidney Lumet. This marriage also ended in divorce.
Gam died on March 22, 2016 at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from respiratory failure, aged 88.
In 1963, Gam was a leading member of The Minnesota Theatre Company in the opening season of The Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.