The Actors Studio

Abstract

Directors Elia Kazan and Robert Lewis and producer Cheryl Crawford founded the Actors Studio in New York City in 1947. In 1949 Lee Strasberg was asked to serve as its artistic director, which he did until his death in 1982. Ellen Burstyn and Al Pacino were co-artistic directors the following year. Ms. Burstyn then served as artistic director until 1988. Frank Corsaro served as artistic director from April 1988 through June 1995. The current artistic director, as of this writing, is Estelle Parsons. The president of the Actors Studio Board of Directors is Arthur Penn. Vice presidents are Estelle Parsons, Lee Grant, Norman Mailer, James Lipton, and Mark Rydell. There is also an Actors Studio West, in Los Angeles. Its three directors are Sydney Pollack, Mark Rydell, and Martin Landau.