Lee Strasberg

Biography

Lee Strasberg (1901–1982) was a transformative figure in American theater and film, renowned as the principal exponent and teacher of "Method Acting." His profound influence on generations of actors, including some of Hollywood's most legendary figures, solidified his place as one of the 20th century's most impactful acting coaches and theorists.

Early Life and the Birth of a Movement:

Born Israel Strassberg on November 17, 1901, in Budzanów, then part of Austria-Hungary (now Budaniv, Ukraine), Strassberg immigrated with his family to New York City at the age of seven. Growing up on the Lower East Side, he found his passion for theater through settlement house productions. His life-altering experience came in 1923 when he witnessed Konstantin Stanislavsky's Moscow Art Theatre perform in the United States. Stanislavsky's emphasis on psychological realism and emotional authenticity deeply resonated with Strasberg and became the foundation for his revolutionary approach.

Strasberg began his professional career in the 1920s as an actor and stage manager. In 1931, he co-founded the Group Theatre with Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford. This pioneering theatrical collective became a crucible for experimental plays and a proving ground for new acting techniques. During this period, Strasberg began to develop his systematic approach to actor training, which would later be known as "The Method."

The Actors Studio and the Rise of Method Acting:

After a period in Hollywood in the 1940s, Strasberg returned to New York and, in 1948, joined the newly formed Actors Studio. Founded by Cheryl Crawford, Elia Kazan, and Robert Lewis (all former Group Theatre associates), the Actors Studio quickly became the nation's most prestigious acting workshop. In 1951, Strasberg was appointed its artistic director, a position he held until his death.

Under Strasberg's guidance, the Actors Studio became the spiritual home of Method Acting in America. He adapted and expanded upon Stanislavsky's "system," particularly emphasizing techniques like "affective memory" (emotional recall) and "sense memory." These exercises encouraged actors to delve into their own emotional experiences and personal sensations to create truthful, complex, and deeply personal performances. While sometimes controversial for its intensity and focus on internal experience, the Method produced a generation of actors celebrated for their raw power and authenticity.

His students included a veritable "who's who" of cinematic legends: Marlon Brando, James Dean, Paul Newman, Marilyn Monroe, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Jane Fonda, Anne Bancroft, and Sidney Poitier, among many others. These actors, through their transformative performances, showcased the profound impact of Strasberg's teaching.

Acting Career and Legacy:

While primarily known as a teacher, Strasberg himself returned to acting later in his life, most notably delivering a memorable performance as the aging gangster Hyman Roth in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part II (1974). This role earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, ironically losing to his former student, Robert De Niro, in the same film. He also appeared in films like The Cassandra Crossing (1977) and ...And Justice for All (1979) alongside Al Pacino.

In 1969, Strasberg established the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York and Los Angeles, providing a formal institution to teach his Method in its most comprehensive form.

Lee Strasberg passed away on February 17, 1982, at the age of 80. His legacy is immeasurable. He revolutionized acting training in the Western world, moving it from a focus on external presentation to a deep exploration of the actor's inner life. The "Method" remains a cornerstone of actor training, a testament to Strasberg's vision and his unwavering belief in the actor's ability to achieve profound truth on stage and screen.