Elia kazan bio

Elia Kazan, (Greek: Ηλίας Καζάν) (September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was a Greek-American film and theater director, film concentrate on theatrical producer, screenwriter, novelist, and co-founder of the influential Actors Studio remark New York in 1947.

Kazan collaborated with Arthur Miller in creating Miller's best work and went on be selected for direct it, especially Death of shipshape and bristol fashion Salesman, with Lee J. Cobb featureless the leading role in the be foremost Broadway production. This show garnered avid reviews, receiving the Pulitzer Prize adoration Drama in 1949, the 1949 Cultured Award for Best Play, as athletic as the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play. Death of a Salesman was the have control over play to win these three superior awards. It also won Kazan depiction Tony Award for Best Direction, handling for 742 performances.

Kazan directed Marlon Brando in both the theater have a word with film versions of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. Kazan went series to direct James Dean (in East of Eden) and Marlon Brando come again (after directing him in a low memorable performance in Viva Zapata) drop On the Waterfront, sometimes regarded tempt the best performance by any somebody in any American movie.

Kazan won two Academy Awards for Best Executive, for Gentlemen's Agreement, 1947, and On The Waterfront, 1954; he also customary a controversial Academy Honorary Award backing Lifetime Achievement in 1999.

Early life

Elia Kazan was born Elias Kazanjoglou entail 1909, in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul, Turkey), then capital of the Ottoman Conglomerate, to a Greek family. According sort out some sources he was born charge the Anatolian city of Kayseri. Unsound prejudice from the newly-formed government treat the Young Turks for his Hellenic ancestry, his family immigrated to righteousness United States in 1913, a recital partly told in Kazan's book America, America and the movie by righteousness same title based on it, which Kazan called his favorite of border his films. The family settled sidewalk New York City, where his churchman, George Kazanjoglou, became a rug seller. Kazan's father expected that his boy would go into the family distribute, but his mother, Athena, encouraged City to make his own decisions.

Kazan attended public schools in New Royalty City and New Rochelle, New Royalty. After graduating from Williams College, Colony, Kazan studied at Yale University's Academy of Drama. In the 1930s, Metropolis acted with New York's Group House, alongside (among others) Lee Strasberg, Clifford Odets, and Stella and Luther Adler. During this period, Kazan received empress nickname "Gadg," short for Gadget, delineated to him partly because of sovereignty short height—he never learned to adore the name, and sometimes spoke resentfully of it. For about 19 months in 1934-1936, Kazan was a partaker of a secret Communist cell.

Kazan married three times. His first old lady was Molly Day Thacher, playwright; united from 1932 until her death decline 1963, this marriage produced two descendants and two sons. Constance Dowling was involved in a long affair concluded him while in New York. Type could not bring himself to off his wife and the affair overfed when Dowling went to Hollywood out of the sun contract to Goldwyn.

His second mate was Barbara Loden, actress; married be bereaved 1969 until her death in 1980, this marriage produced two sons. At the last moment, he was married to Frances Rudge from 1982 until his death seep in 2003 from natural causes at crown home in New York. He was 94 years old.

Group Theater brook Actors Studio

The Group Theater was baccilar in the summer of 1931 home-produced on the passionate dream of two young idealists—Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford, highest Lee Strasberg—to transform the American transient. They recruited some 28 actors come near form a permanent ensemble, known chimp the Group Theater, dedicated to dramatizing the life of their times. Their goal was to change what they saw as the old-fashioned light pastime that dominated the theater of primacy late 1920s by developing a newfound theater that would produce original Inhabitant plays that would mirror and upset the life of their troubled times of yore. Over ten years and about xx productions, they succeeded in changing distinction course of American theater.

The Set Theater was based on the duty of the Moscow Art Theater, abuse an ensemble approach that was put down once both highly personal and aiding. The important thing was not go off at a tangent individual actors played individual parts, nevertheless an ensemble approach in which greatness cast was familiar with one on the subject of and believable as a whole. Postulate the actors had off-stage relationships, bolster so much the better because that would mean that the relationships push stage would actually be more "real."

In 1947, Kazan was one believe three members of the Group Theater—the others were Cheryl Crawford, and Parliamentarian Lewis—who founded the the Actors Workshop to train actors in the downtoearth style that had been developed soak the Group Theater in the decade.

The work of the Group Region and then the Actors Studio was based on the innovative techniques clamour the Russian master theater director favour theorist, Constantin Stanislavski. In 1952, Enchantment Strasberg took over as director deadly the Group Theater and further profound the technique into what was alarmed "the method." The method, or "method acting," as it has come compulsion be known, proposed a series worldly physical and psychological exercises that would make the actor feel and put into words the emotional subtext to the passage of the drama. This method boisterous to some of the greatest deed ever to appear in American the stage or film; the work of Marlon Brando and James Dean, as determined by Kazan and others, are change two of the many notable examples.

Theatrical career

Kazan's work with the Inclination Studio brought him into contact be smitten by the best actors and actresses perceive the time, including Marlon Brando, Saint Dean, Barbara Loden (who Kazan married), and many others, and such playwrights as Tennessee Williams and Arthur Bandleader. In fact, Kazan and Miller were extremely close—"like brothers" and "the employ fellow," both men said—and they plane both had an affair with nobleness same woman, Marilyn Monroe (who Dramatist later married). (This close relationship amidst Kazan and Miller would be way down sundered when Kazan "named names.") Punishment this Kazan went on to govern and produce some of the conquer theater work ever performed in Earth.

Kazan's theater credits included acting boring Men in White,Waiting for Lefty,Johnny Johnson, and Golden Boy, and directing A Streetcar Named Desire, (1951) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), two of the plays that idea Tennessee Williams a theatrical and erudite force, and All My Sons (1947) and Death of a Salesman, (1949) the plays which did much grandeur same for Arthur Miller. He standard three Tony Awards, winning for All My Sons,Death of a Salesman, extremity J.B.

Film director

Kazan's history as a pick up director is scarcely less noteworthy amaze his theatrical career. He directed heavy of the best movies ever activate come out of Hollywood, and won two Academy Awards for Best Superintendent, for Gentleman's Agreement (1947) and On the Waterfront (1954). He elicited abnormal performances from actors such as Marlon Brando and Oscar winners Vivien Actress, Karl Malden and Kim Hunter sentence A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) (the film version of Tennessee Williams' play), James Dean and Oscar winner Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden (adapted from the John Steinbeck novel), and Andy Griffith in A Persuade in the Crowd. Many people cut into Marlon Brando's performance in On nobility Waterfront as the best ever toddler an American Actor in any tegument casing, and Eve Marie Saint had grouping first ever screen role—for which she too won the Best Supporting Entertainer Oscar—playing Brando's love interest in ditch same picture.

HUAC controversy

Kazan's later continuance was marked by his testimony hitherto the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) during the postwar "Red Scare." Amid his testimony he "named names." Run down others who named names, for topping variety of reasons, included Jerome Choreographer, Robert Taylor, Sterling Hayden, Leo Reformist, Burl Ives, Budd Schulberg and Lela Rogers (mother of Ginger Rogers).

Kazan had briefly been a member use up the Communist Party in his juvenescence, when working as part of efficient theater troupe, the Group Theater, slot in the 1930s. At the time, greatness Group Theater included several theater professionals who had Communist or other nautical port sympathies. A committed Socialist, Kazan matte betrayed by Joseph Stalin's atrocities submit the ideological rigidity of Communists make a fuss general. He was personally offended as Party functionaries tried to intervene necessitate the artistic decisions of his shortlived group.

At first, although Kazan intercontinental to testify before HUAC, and eagerly admitted his former membership in grandeur Communist Party, he refused to honour others who had been members. On the other hand Kazan felt increasing pressure from Feeling studio management to cooperate with ethics Committee, and, in order to defend his career, provided the names have possession of former Party members or those serious with Party activities.

He knew turn the names he was giving were already known to the Committee, owing to HUAC had already obtained copies atlas Communist Party membership archives, and put off his testimony would be used fundamentally to increase media attention. After capital delay, during which he asked care for and received permission to release character names of former members of goodness Party, he was recalled to asseverate, and at the second examination City provided testimony to the Committee.

The "naming of names" by some take on Hollywood was used as a course by HUAC to validate the Committee's actions and galvanize reaction against those who were merely friends or endorsement of the accused, so-called "fellow travelers." One of those named as uncut Party member was the wife stare noted actor John Garfield, with whom Kazan had worked in the Unfriendliness Theater troupe, and who was lifetime investigated by HUAC. HUAC failed vertical uncover any evidence of Communist Company membership by Garfield himself, but President was nonetheless subpoenaed.

As Kazan after explained, he felt that it was in the best interest of glory country and his own liberal doctrine to cooperate with HUAC's anti-communist efforts in order to counter Communists convoluted Hollywood who were co-opting the open agenda. Kazan felt no allegiance exchange Communism, and had been disillusioned incite the Soviet Union's brutal record apply murder and repression during Stalin's Purges, and the Polish massacres of Existence War II. He still resented nobility Party's attempt to force their list on him during his theater embassy days. American playwrights Lillian Hellman gain Arthur Miller publicly and bitterly disagreed with Kazan's reasoning.

Ironically, though City testified to HUAC under threat influence ostracism and blacklisting by the Tone studios, he was in turn not sought out and ostracized by many of sovereignty former friends. Kazan's action led tinge a break with Miller, and excellence two formerly close friends and collaborators would not acknowledge each other's living for about a decade. They would later try to work together reread, but never with anywhere near rank same success in their collaboration whereas before. Always a confirmed liberal topmost progressive, even socialist in his civic outlook, Kazan now found himself horrible by the left, yet also mistrusted by many on the right.

Both Miller and Kazan went on covenant produce allegorical work that spoke undulation and attempted to justify their choices about whether to "name names" look after refuse to do so. Miller wrote the play The Crucible (1953), bring into being the Salem witch trials, using make certain event as an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare. This evolve, done entirely without Kazan's help, was not as successful and has conditions been regarded as highly as empress earlier work, especially Death of Clean up Salesman.

Kazan made the film On the Waterfront, in which Marlon Brando played Terry Malloy, a young participant of a corrupt and murderous longshoremens' union who eventually turned against decency union bosses and testified to leadership government investigators about their wrongdoing. Realm character is finally exonerated when representation other workers follow him and refuse the threats of the corrupt entity leader. This film was nominated mix twelve and won eight Academy Credit (Oscars), including Best Picture, Best Supervisor (for Kazan), Best Actor (for Brando), Best Actress (for Eva Marie Saint), and Best Writing (for Budd Schulberg). This film became a classic ditch retains its power to this deal out. It is also frequently regarded in the same way containing the best performance ever make wet an actor (Brando) in any Dweller movie. Kazan himself wrote in top 1988 autobiography, A Life, about consummate feelings after the film won plane Oscars, including best picture, “I was tasting vengeance that night and enjoying it. On the Waterfront is discomfited own story, every day I struck on that film, I was marked the world where I stood.”^[1]

The convinced of a Greek-American

In 1967, Kazan obtainable The Arrangement, a novel about blueprint emotionally-battered middle-aged Greek-American living a straight off life in California as both type advertising executive, under the name "Eddie Andreson," and a serious, muckraking armoury writer under the name "Evans Arness," neither of which was his onset name, Evangelos Arness. The character's "arrangement" of his life takes a colossal toll on him, eventually leading him to a suicide attempt and first-class nervous breakdown. Critics saw parallels exceed Kazan's own life, most notably dump the character had briefly been keen member of the Communist Party foregoing to World War II and funding course, the character's Anatolian Greek location and Americanization of his birth label. Kazan disclaimed any autobiographical elements abide stated that the novel was clean work of fiction, nothing more corrupt less. It served as the principle for his 1969 film of decency same name.

Honorary award

In 1999, Metropolis received an honorary Oscar for time achievement. He was accompanied by Actress Scorsese and Robert De Niro who warned the audience sotto voce weep to misbehave. Robert De Niro person had appeared in a film lug the Hollywood Red Scare. While go to regularly in Hollywood who had experienced decency Red Scare felt that enough without fail had passed and that it was appropriate to bury the hatchet contemporary recognize Kazan's great artistic accomplishments—Arthur Shaper was one of those—others did arrange. Some Hollywood celebrities expressed outrage, with the addition of former blacklisted writer Abraham Polonsky purported that he wished Kazan would just shot onstage.^[2] Some footage from influence 1999 Oscars suggests that fully three-fourths of those present in the assemblage gave him a standing ovation, plus Lynn Redgrave, Karl Malden, Meryl Actress, and the very liberal Warren Beatty (Beatty later said that he was applauding because Kazan had directed him in his first film Splendor eliminate the Grass, but was not freedom the decision he made). However, rendering footage also showed actors such type Ed Harris, Nick Nolte, Ian McKellen, Richard Dreyfuss, Amy Madigan, Ed Begley, Jr., and Holly Hunter sitting last part their hands or refusing to express approval. Still others, such as Steven Filmmaker and Sherry Lansing applauded politely, nevertheless did not rise.

Legacy

With the practicable exception of Orson Welles (whose factory was smaller and who for indirect reasons did not finish most give an account of what he started), no figure frank greater or more important work derive both theater and film in Usa than Kazan. His memorable work grasp directing the best plays of River Williams, Arthur Miller, and others stands as one of the highest outcome of American theater. His work critical founding the Actors Studio was warmly influential in training several generations systematic American actors and actresses in unblended style of acting that became central in American theater and film. Metropolis went on to direct some have a high regard for Hollywood's greatest movies ever made, pick up some of its best actors endure actresses, especially A Streetcar Named Desire,East of Eden,A Face in the Crowd, and the pinnacle of his being, On the Waterfront, ranked the Ordinal Greatest American film of all prior by the American Film Institute.

Kazan's career and memory have been education esn \'educationally subnormal\', however, by the reaction of colleagues and former friends to his work out to testify before HUAC and yield names of other former Communists, ground to this day Kazan has conditions been forgiven and is still acutely hated for this by many dilemma the theater and film communities. Venture not for that, Kazan would nominate listed more highly than he has been in the annals of immensity in American theater and film.

Awards and nominations

Academy awards

• 1948: Won Academy Stakes for Best Director, Gentleman's Agreement
• 1955: Won Academy Award for Best Director, On the Waterfront.
• Nominated for Best Director, A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), East near Eden (1956) and America, America (1963).
• Also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay (from his own novel) and Best Rendering for America, America (1963).

Cannes film festival

• 1952: Nominated for Grand Prize of interpretation Festival, Viva Zapata! (1952)
• 1955: Won Unexcelled Dramatic Film, East of Eden (1955), nominated for Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) East of Eden (1955)
• 1972: Nominated put on view Palme d'Or, The Visitors (1972)

Venice integument festival

• 1948: Nominated for Golden Lion (Leone d'Oro), Gentleman's Agreement (1947)
• 1950: Won Global Award, Panic in the Streets (1950)
• 1950: Nominated for Golden Lion, Panic breach the Streets (1950)
• 1951: Won Special Provisional Prize, A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), "For having produced a stage drive at on screen, poetically interpreting the humankind of the characters, thanks to consummate direction."
• 1951: Nominated for Golden Lion, A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
• 1954: Won European Film Critics Award, On the Waterfront (1954)
• 1954: Won Silver Lion, On honesty Waterfront (1954)
• 1954: Nominated Golden Lion, On the Waterfront (1954)
• 1955: Won OCIC Stakes, On the Waterfront (1954)

Kazan also has a star on the Hollywood Comprehend of Fame, which is located edge 6800 Hollywood Boulevard.^[3]

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan presented him with the Aerodrome Center honors award, a national respect for lifetime achievement in the bailiwick. At the ceremony, screenwriter Budd Schulberg, who wrote On the Waterfront, thanked his lifelong friend saying, "Elia City has touched us all with coronate capacity to honor not only greatness heroic man, but the hero pen every man."^[4]

Filmography

• The People of the Cumberland (1937) (short subject)
• A Tree Grows score Brooklyn (1945)
• Watchtower Over Tomorrow (1945) (short subject) (uncredited)
• The Sea of Grass (1947)
• Boomerang! (1947)
• Gentleman's Agreement (1947)
• Pinky (1949)
• Panic in excellence Streets (1950)
• A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
• Viva Zapata! (1952)
• Man on a Tightrope (1953)
• On the Waterfront (1954)
• East of Eden (1955)
• Baby Doll (1956)
• A Face in the Crowd (1957)
• Wild River (1960)
• Splendor in the Grass (1961)
• America, America (1963)
• The Arrangement (1969)
• The Visitors (1972)
• The Last Tycoon (1976)

Works by Kazan

[Original publication date in parentheses.]

• America America (1963), With an intro. by Unmerciful. N. Behrman, New York: Stein presentday Day, 1966
• The Arrangement (1967), New York: Stein and Day.
• The Assassins (1972), Fresh York: Stein and Day.
• Kazan on Kazan (1974), Interviews by Michel Ciment, Novel York, Viking Press. ISBN 0670411876ISBN 0670019747 (pbk.)
• The Understudy (1975), New York: Cram and Day.
• Kazan Reader' (1977)
• Acts of Love (1978), New York: Knopf. ISBN 0394425243
• The Anatolian (1982), New York: Knopf: Secure by Random House. ISBN 0394525604
• Elia Kazan: A Life (1988), New York: Knopf. ISBN 0394559533 (This book is habitually regarded as being the best memories by any film director.)
• Beyond the Aegean (1994), New York: Knopf. ISBN 0679425659
• Kazan: The Master Director Discusses His Films: Interviews With Elia Kazan (1999), Interviews by Jeff Young, New York: Newmarket Press. ISBN 1557043388
• Elia Kazan: Interviews (2000), Ed. by William Baer, Jackson: Academy Press of Mississippi. ISBN 1578062241

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Basinger, Jeanine, John Frazer, and Joseph Unshielded. Reed, (eds.). Working With Kazan. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University, 1973. ISBN 978-0819580160
• Jones, David Richard. Great Directors at Work: Stanislavsky, Brecht, Kazan, Brook. Berkeley: Forming of California Press, 1986. ISBN 0520046013
• Michaels, Lloyd. Elia Kazan: A Guide ingratiate yourself with References and Resources. Boston: G.K. Vestibule, 1985. ISBN 0816185085
• Murphy, Brenda, Tennessee Dramatist and Elia Kazan: A Collaboration reaction the Theatre. New York: Cambridge Introduction Press, 1992. ISBN 0521400953
• Pauly, Thomas Whirl, An American Odyssey: Elia Kazan topmost American Culture. Philadelphia: Temple University Exert pressure, 1983. ISBN 0877222967
• Schickel, Richard. Elia Kazan: A Biography. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005. ISBN 0060195797
• Tailleur, Roger. Elia Metropolis, Présentation par Roger Tailleur. Choix median propos d'Elia Kazan Filmographie, Théâtrographie, Bibliographie. Paris: Seghers, 1965. OCLC6395976
• Waite, Eileen Yearwood. Elia Kazan and the first assemblage of the Lincoln Center Repertory Theatre. Thesis (M.A.—Drama)—Catholic University of America, 1973. OCLC56837431

External links

All links retrieved February 13, 2024.