About

In addition to my acting credits and membership in The Actors' Studio, I have extensive experience teaching acting.

"The Method" is an understanding of the practical experience and procedures of the actor during performance. As such, it can only be learned by training with a teacher schooled in this work.

I began studying with Lee Strasberg at his Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York in 1971, and continued studying with him until his death in 1982; a period of eleven years.

At his urging, and under his tutelage, I began teaching his work at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York in 1976 and I remained there as a teacher for fifteen years. In addition to the regular classes taught at his school, I was selected as one of a handful of teachers to teach classes for The New York University Undergraduate Drama Department, Tisch School of the Arts, and taught that program for thirteen years beginning in 1978. 

In 1978, Mr. Strasberg appointed me as the Director of his New York school; as such I was responsible for coordinating all classes and programs. I kept that position until 1980 when I stepped down in order to be able to continue teaching and acting. In 1990, I was appointed to the position of Producing Director of The Lee Strasberg Creative Center.

My private coaching in acting and public speaking has included working with major personalities such as Canada’s Prime Minister, The Right Honorable Joe Clark. Many of my students have achieved a high level of success in film, television, and theater. These include Karen Allen, Bridget Fonda, Ed Norton, Connie Nielsen, Adam Sandler, John Leguizamo, Katherine Erbe, Jesse Martin, Thomas Levin, Sarah Boberg, Ken Marino among others.

My work is well known in the European theater and film community. Over the years, many actors have come to this country specifically to study with me. I was recently featured in the Canal+ documentary for European television on The Actors Studio and its work.  Since October, 2009 I have been invited to represent Lee Strasberg’s teaching at Metodi Festiva in Italy. You can watch an interview in the Press section of this website. This annual event is a compendium of the top teachers of the various branches of Method Acting from around the world. For ten days each October, we shared ideas and taught actors from around the world. In 2015 I was invited to introduce my work to actors in Africa and taught actors in Accra, Ghana.

During the past forty+ years of teaching I have continued to be active as an actor, as well as having directed plays both Off-Off Broadway and in regional theater. These range all the way from a production of Equus at The Rhinebeck Summer Theater to a production of The Masque of Saint George and the Dragon at The Lee Strasberg Creative Center's Marilyn Monroe Theatre in New York.

Interesting Facts About Me

• I have been called upon to act as an auditioning consultant for several motion pictures. The most notable of these was Brian DePalma’s Scarface for Universal Pictures, starring Al Pacino.

• In June 1991, I started my own independent classes known as The Acting Class Inc. for professional actors, which operate continually throughout the year.

• In September, 1995 I was invited to teach the scene study classes for The MFA Program in Dramatic Arts at The Actors' Studio Drama School/New School University. I accepted this position, and in 1996 added a class in Classical Theater. 

• In the year 2000 I produced an educational TV series with my wife and family. I have since returned to teaching in my own studio, and in September, 2007 I joined the faculty of Purchase College, SUNY.

• During the autumn of 2001 I helped found Lobo Theater, a not for profit theater company, in New York City.  Lobo Theater produced Lyle Kessler’s “Orphans” as its inaugural production, and followed that with the New York premier of Tennessee Williams’ first full length play “Spring Storm”.

• I have been a licensed pilot for 50+ years, having earned my wings as a high school Junior. I hold single and multi-engine land, and instrument ratings. I am a licensed sky-diver, an advanced certified scuba diver, as well as an accomplished sailor.