Lee Strasberg Net Worth
Lee Strasberg Net Worth is
$17 Million
Lee Strasberg Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American actor, director and acting teacher. He cofounded, with directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed as "America's first true theatrical collective". In 1951, he became director of the non-profit Actors Studio, in New York City, considered "the nation's most prestigious acting school". In 1969, Strasberg founded the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City and in Hollywood to teach the work he pioneered.He is considered the "father of method acting in America," according to author Mel Gussow, and from the 1920s until his death in 1982 "he revolutionized the art of acting by having a profound influence on performance in American theater and movies". From his base in New York, he trained several generations of theatre and film's most illustrious talents, including Barbra Streisand, Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Montgomery Clift, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Fonda, Julie Harris, Paul Newman, Ellen Burstyn, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and director Elia Kazan.Former student Elia Kazan directed James Dean in East of Eden (1955), for which Kazan and Dean were nominated for Academy Awards. As a student, Dean wrote that Actors Studio was "the greatest school of the theater [and] the best thing that can happen to an actor". Playwright Tennessee Williams, writer of A Streetcar Named Desire, said of Strasberg's actors, "They act from the inside out. They communicate emotions they really feel. They give you a sense of life." Directors like Sidney Lumet, a former student, have intentionally used actors skilled in Strasberg's "Method".Kazan, in his autobiography, wrote, "He carried with him the aura of a prophet, a magician, a witch doctor, a psychoanalyst, and a feared father of a Jewish home.... [H]e was the force that held the thirty-odd members of the theatre together, and made them 'permanent.'" Today, Ellen Burstyn, Al Pacino, and Harvey Keitel lead this nonprofit studio dedicated to the development of actors, playwrights, and directors. As an actor, Strasberg is probably best known for his role as gangster Hyman Roth in The Godfather Part II (1974), which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His personal papers, including photos, are archived at the Library of Congress. | Full Name | Lee Strasberg |
| Date Of Birth | November 17, 1901 |
| Died | 1982-02-17 |
| Place Of Birth | Budzanów, Galicia, Austria-Hungary [now Budaniv, Ukraine] |
| Height | 5' 5" (1.65 m) |
| Profession | Actor, Miscellaneous Crew, Director |
| Education | American Laboratory Theatre |
| Spouse | Anna Mizrahi ; children |
| Children | David Strasberg, Adam Strasberg |
| Parents | Ida Diner, Baruch Meyer Strassberg |
| Siblings | Zalmon Strassberg |
| Nominations | Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Golden Globe Award for Best New Star of the Year – Actor |
| Movies | Skokie, Going in Style, Boardwalk, ...And Justice for All, The Cassandra Crossing, The Godfather Part II, China Venture, The Third Man |
| Star Sign | Scorpio |
| # | Trademark |
|---|---|
| 1 | His generally quiet, mild mannered persona |
| 2 | Teacher and managing director of the Actor's Studio for more than 30 years, especially well known for teaching "The Method." |
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | Was the only Jewish actor to portray a Jewish gangster, the character of Hyman Roth, in the three film Godfather series. Previously, Jewish actors (James Caan, Abe Vigoda, Eli Wallach) had portrayed Italian mob figures, and Italian actors (Alex Rocco) had portrayed Jewish mob characters. |
| 2 | When he died in 1982, he left an estate valued at $1.5 million, before inclusion of his 75% interest in the Estate of Marilyn Monroe. |
| 3 | Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 766-768. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. |
| 4 | Is portrayed by Lyle Kessler in James Dean (2001) and by Matthew O'Sullivan in Blonde (2001). |
| 5 | Is portrayed by Dana Goldstone in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996). |
| 6 | One of the more unlikely people to be honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame, due to his strong link to New York City, nonetheless, Lee Strasberg's star is located at 6757 Hollywood Blvd. |
| 7 | He and protégé Al Pacino appeared together in two films: The Godfather: Part II (1974) and ...and justice for all. (1979). |
| 8 | As the primary teacher and director of the Actors Studio for more than 30 years, he trained many of the great American actors: Al Pacino, Ben Gazzara, Martin Landau, Eli Wallach, Ellen Burstyn, etc. He never taught Marlon Brando, who made the "method" famous, although Brando did support the Studio and regularly attended its formal and informal functions. |
| 9 | According to actor Martin Landau, Strasberg was a hard taskmaster as an acting teacher, but Landau said regardless, Strasberg was always right in pushing an actor to deliver an excellent performance. |
| 10 | Lee Strasberg had 4 children: John Strasberg and Susan Strasberg with second wife Paula Strasberg; Adam Strasberg and David Lee Strasberg with his third, and last, wife Anna Strasberg. |
| 11 | In 1909, at age 7, he emigrated with his family to the United States, although he did not become a citizen until 1936. |
| 12 | Son of an innkeeper. |
| 13 | Strasberg lost the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of mob financier Hyman Roth in The Godfather: Part II (1974) to Robert De Niro's portrayal of Young Vito Corleone in the same film. |
| 14 | October 27-28, 1999: Christie's auctioned the bulk of Marilyn Monroe's personal effects. In Monroe's last will and testament, she expressed a desire that Strasberg would "distribute (these) among my friends, colleagues and those to whom I am devoted." Having largely not accomplished distribution of Monroe's personal belongings to friends, etc., upon Strasberg's death, possession of Monroe's personal effects passed from Strasberg to his last wife, Anna Strasberg, who had never met Monroe. The Christie's auction of Monroe's possessions netted $12.3 million. Ironically, five years earlier, Anna Strasberg had declared that she would never sell Monroe's personal items after successfully suing Millington Conroy (nephew of Marilyn Monroe's business manager, Inez Conroy Melson) and Odyssey Auctions in 1994, preventing the sale of items which had been improperly withheld from Lee Strasberg by Monroe's former business manager, Inez Melson. Julien's staged a second auction of Monroe's personal effects in 2005. |
| 15 | On February 13, 1982, Strasberg made what was both his final filmed appearance, and his final public appearance, at the Night of 100 Stars (1982) benefit for the Actors Fund at Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA, where, along with protégées Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, he danced in the chorus line with the world renowned The Radio City Rockettes. |
| 16 | Buried at Westchester Hills Cemetery in the village of Hastings-on-Hudson, Westchester County, New York, USA, a northern suburb (approximately 20 miles north of) New York City, where he is buried in a plot with his second wife, Paula Strasberg, who predeceased Lee by her early death at about 57 years old, in 1966. Westchester Hills is a Jewish cemetery, and many well-known entertainers and performers are interred there. |
| 17 | In her last will and testament, Marilyn Monroe left Strasberg total control of 75% of her estate, including the licensing of Monroe's image, in gratitude for his mentorship and kindness, both before and after she became a star. Today, Strasberg's widow, Anna Strasberg administers the combined estates, which earn millions of dollars in licensing fees annually, from advertisers or marketers use of Monroe's image, such as the long running J'adore Parfum line, co-starring the deceased Marilyn Monroe and the very much alive Charlize Theron. |
| 18 | Lee Strasberg's oldest son, John Strasberg, like his father, also teaches at the Actors' Studio, Manhattan, New York City, New York, but is not the managing director or administrator, as Lee was. Lee's roles as both managing director and administrator of the Actors' Studio are now filled by an incredible SIX people! Ellen Burstyn, Harvey Keitel, and Al Pacino serve as co-Presidents of the whole studio, both east, in Manhattan, and west, in West Hollywood, California, USA, and co-Artistic Directors in Manhattan, while Mark Rydell and Martin Landau serve as co-Artistic Directors in West Hollywood. The administrator, now known as the Executive Director is (as of 2015) filled by a professional, full time administrator, Deborah Dixon. |
| 19 | Legendary acting coach/director/actor, best known in the twenty-first century for three things: 1) his many decades as managing director and teacher at The Actor's Studio in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA; 2) his most famous acting role, "Hyman Roth," alongside one of his most famous students, Al Pacino; and 3) as primary heir and administrator of the estate of Marilyn Monroe, another of his most famous students (now administered by Lee Strasberg's wife/widow, Anna Strasberg. |
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skokie | 1981 | TV Movie | Morton Weisman |
| Going in Style | 1979 | Willie | |
| Boardwalk | 1979 | David Rosen | |
| ...and justice for all. | 1979 | Grandpa Sam | |
| The Last Tenant | 1978 | TV Movie | Frank |
| The Godfather: A Novel for Television | 1977 | TV Mini-Series | Hyman Roth |
| The Cassandra Crossing | 1976 | Herman Kaplan | |
| The Godfather: Part II | 1974 | Hyman Roth | |
| China Venture | 1953 | Patterson | |
| Parnell | 1937 | Pat (uncredited) |
Miscellaneous
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tempo | 1965 | TV Series subject - 1 episode | |
| Somewhere in the Night | 1946 | dialogue director - uncredited | |
| Winged Victory | 1944 | dialogue director |
Director
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Story with Two Endings | 1945 | Documentary short |
Writer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somewhere in the Night | 1946 | adaptation |
Art Director
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Three Sisters | 1966 |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biography | 1998 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| American Masters | 1989 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Night of 100 Stars | 1982 | TV Special | Himself |
| Acting: Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio | 1981 | Documentary | Himself |
| Good Morning America | 1981 | TV Series | Himself |
| Film '72 | 1980 | TV Series | Himself |
| Old Friends... New Friends | 1978 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| The Paul Ryan Show | 1977 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Mike Douglas Show | 1975-1977 | TV Series | Himself - Acting Coach / Himself - Actor |
| Camera Three | 1967-1975 | TV Series | Himself |
| New York, New York | 1975 | TV Series | Himself |
| The 47th Annual Academy Awards | 1975 | TV Special | Himself - Nominated: Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| The Virginia Graham Show | 1970 | TV Series | Himself |
| The David Frost Show | 1969 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Group Theater, 1931-1940 | 1967 | TV Movie | Himself |
| ABC Stage 67 | 1966 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Legend of Marilyn Monroe | 1966 | Documentary | Himself (uncredited) |
| The Tonight Show | 1962 | TV Series | Himself - Actor |
| Jane | 1962 | Documentary | Himself |
Archive Footage
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Love, Marilyn | 2012 | Documentary | Himself |
| Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days | 2001 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| Marilyn in Manhattan | 1998 | TV Movie | Himself |
| Reputations | 1997 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 | 1992 | Video | Hyman Roth |
| American Masters | 1991 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| The Godfather Family: A Look Inside | 1990 | TV Movie documentary | Hyman Roth (uncredited) |
Won Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Pasinetti Award | Venice Film Festival | Best Actor | Going in Style (1979) |
| 1977 | Star on the Walk of Fame | Walk of Fame | Motion Picture | On 27 November 1977. At 6757 Hollywood Blvd. |
Nominated Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Oscar | Academy Awards, USA | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | The Godfather: Part II (1974) |
| 1975 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Most Promising Newcomer - Male | The Godfather: Part II (1974) |
3rd Place Awards
| Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | NYFCC Award | New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Godfather: Part II (1974) |
Known for movies
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
as Hyman Roth
...and justice for all. (1979)
as Grandpa Sam
Going in Style (1979)
as Willie
Acting: Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio (1981)
as Himself