Tag Archives: Harold Clurman

Recommended Books: Memoirs

More recommendations: Recommended Fiction Recommended Non-Fiction MEMOIRS The Fervent Years: The Group Theatre And The Thirties, by Harold Clurman Probably the most famous of all the Group Theatre-related books. Harold Clurman writes his memories of that time and what those … Continue reading

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Bookshelf Tour #3

Some of the most well-worn books in my library. Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and America 1931-1940 is Wendy Smith’s exhaustive history of The Group Theater. I consider it essential reading. It’s an important part of the history of … Continue reading

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The Books: Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and America 1931-1940, by Wendy Smith

Daily Book Excerpt: Theatre Next book on the acting/theatre shelf is Real Life Drama: The Group Theatre and America 1931-1940, by Wendy Smith The Group Theatre I suppose it is clear what my theatrical background is. I am always shocked … Continue reading

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The Books: The Fervent Years: The Group Theatre And The Thirties, by Harold Clurman

Daily Book Excerpt: Theatre Next book on the acting/theatre shelf is The Fervent Years: The Group Theatre And The Thirties, by Harold Clurman The Group Theatre, summer of 1931, summer workshop Harold Clurman was one of the founders of The … Continue reading

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The Books: Stella Adler on Ibsen, Strindberg, and Chekhov, edited by Barry Paris

Daily Book Excerpt: Theatre Next book on the acting/theatre shelf is Stella Adler on Ibsen, Strindberg, and Chekhov, edited by Barry Paris Must-read. Must-read. Must-read. Stella Adler came from an illustrious hard-working theatrical family, active in the vibrant and important … Continue reading

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The Books: On Directing, by Harold Clurman

It is time to say goodbye to the Biography shelf. I still have many self-described genres to get through. I decided to move on to my messy well-thumbed shelf of Acting/Theatre books. Books on the history of acting, history of … Continue reading

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Deadline at Dawn Film Noir: Harold Clurman and Clifford Odets

Clurman and Odets, old colleagues from the Group Theatre, were reunited in 1946 (at least professionally – they were good friends in real life) to do the film Deadline at Dawn. I was asked to write a review of Deadline … Continue reading

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The Books: “The Time Is Ripe: The 1940 Journals of Clifford Odets”

Daily Book Excerpt: Entertainment Biography/Memoir: The Time Is Ripe: The 1940 Journal of Clifford Odets : With an Introduction by William Gibson Clifford Odets (playwright in the 30s and 40s – inspiration to Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, a generation of … Continue reading

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The Books: “Me: Stories Of My Life” (Katharine Hepburn)

Daily Book Excerpt: Entertainment Biography/Memoir: Me : Stories of My Life, by Katharine Hepburn If there was an editor within a 10-mile radius of Katharine Hepburn’s manuscript for this book, you would never know it. It’s full of dashes, interruptions … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday, Elia Kazan

I have spent my life pretty much studying his movies, ever since I saw East of Eden when I was 12 years old. His involvement in The Group Theatre in the 1930s helped launch him as a director – even … Continue reading

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