'the father of method acting'
Lee Strasberg was a pioneering American theatre director, actor, and acting teacher who revolutionized the craft of acting with his development of 'the method'. Strasberg is widely recognized as the father of method acting in America, a title attributed to him by author Mel Gussow, for his profound influence on performance in American theater and film from the 1920s until his death.
In 1931, Strasberg co-founded the Group Theatre, creating America's first true theatrical collective. He later became the director of the Actors Studio in New York City in 1951, and in 1966, he played a key role in establishing Actors Studio West in Los Angeles.
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To further explore and refine his method acting technique, Strasberg, along with his wife Anna Strasberg, founded The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in the 1970s. With branches in New York City and Hollywood, this institute was dedicated to teaching the 'system' of Konstantin Stanislavski, which Strasberg had uniquely interpreted and developed with contemporary insights, particularly those of Yevgeny Vakhtangov. This institute continues to be a significant force in the training of actors, perpetuating Strasberg's legacy and his transformative approach to acting.
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Lee Strasberg's impact on the acting world is evidenced by the notable actors he trained, many of whom became legends in their own right. His students included luminaries such as Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Montgomery Clift, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Fonda, Paul Newman, Ellen Burstyn, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Sally Field, and Eli Wallach. These actors, through their exceptional performances, have continued to embody and propagate the principles of method acting that Strasberg so passionately developed and taught.