Famous Acting School Turns 40
The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, which trained many Hollywood heavyweights in method acting, turns 40.
By JULIE BRAYTON and CARY BERGLUND
Updated 2:46 PM PDT, Wed, Nov 11, 2009
The birthplace of "method acting" and home to several generations of theater and film's most illustrious talents, the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, turns 40 this year.
American actor, director and teacher Lee Strasberg vaulted into international fame when the legendary actress Marilyn Monroe turned to Strasberg to teach her the serious craft of acting in the mid-1950s.
Ever since, Strasberg's "method acting" has helped launch the careers of several generations of theater and film's most illustrious talents, and now the "Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute" has turned 40.
Method acting is a technique in which actors try to engender in themselves the thoughts and emotions of their characters in an effort to create lifelike performances.
In 1931, Strasberg helped form the Group Theater in New York, which was the first home to method acting. This turned into the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in 1969.
There are two schools, one in Los Angeles and one in New York.
In addition to Monroe, Hollywood Heavyweights such as James Dean, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Jack Nicholson, Jane Fonda, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro all were trained at his school, UPI reported.
Later generations of actors like Alec Baldwin, Adam Sandler, Uma Thurman, Drew Barrymore, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson and Sienna Miller also got their start there, UPI reported.
Although Strasberg died in 1982, the institute that bears his name continues to help young actors leave conventional expressions behind and find their own voice.
The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute is located at 7936 Santa Monica Blvd. Classes are ongoing.
First Published: Nov 3, 2009 6:09 PM PDT
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