Wikipedia

Arthur Storch

Arthur Storch (June 29, 1925 – March 5, 2013) was an American actor, theatre director, and educator. A life member of The Actors Studio, he founded Syracuse Stage in 1974 and served as its artistic director for 18 years, establishing it as a major regional theater. Storch directed over 50 productions there while simultaneously serving as Chair of the Syracuse University Drama Department and teaching where he developed the influential "Syracuse Model" of actor training. His Broadway career spanned four decades as both an actor (A Hatful of Rain, The Night of the Iguana) and director (Tribute, Norman, Is That You?). He also appeared in films including The Exorcist (1973) and mentored actors like Frank Langella.

Arthur Storch
Arthur Storch in the 1970s
Born(1925-06-29)June 29, 1925
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
DiedMarch 5, 2013(2013-03-05) (aged 87)
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • theatre director
  • artistic director
Years active1950–2013
Known forFounding Syracuse Stage
Broadway directing
Film roles including The Exorcist
ChildrenMax, Alexander, Bess

Early life

edit

Arthur Storch was born on June 29, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family.[1] He attended Thomas Jefferson High School. He enlisted in the United States Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor and served in World War II. He was involved in the Invasion of Normandy and advanced deep into Germany by the war's end.

After his service, he studied drama at The New School under Erwin Piscator in the 1940s.[2] In 1952, Storch joined The Actors Studio, where he trained alongside Marlon Brando and Julie Harris in method acting.[3]

Career

edit

Early acting career

edit

After studying at The Actors Studio,[4] Storch began his career as an actor in the 1950s. He appeared in several Broadway productions including Michael V. Gazzo's A Hatful of Rain (1955)[5] and the original production of Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana (1961).[6]

His Broadway acting credits also included The Egghead (1957)[7] and The Disenchanted (1958),[8] establishing him as a character actor in dramatic roles.

Directing and Syracuse Stage

edit

Storch founded Syracuse Stage in 1974 as a professional theater integrated with Syracuse University's drama program - an innovative model later adopted by Yale and Juilliard.[9] As artistic director until 1992, he:

  • Directed 50+ productions including the world premiere of Tribute (1978), which transferred to Broadway
  • Developed new works like Frank Langella's Cyrano (1986)
  • Taught acting using his signature text-analysis approach[10]

Under his leadership, Syracuse Stage became a regional powerhouse, premiering works as Patrick Meyer's, K2 (1984), and Frank Langella's Cyrano (1986).[11]

Film and later work

edit

Storch appeared as the psychiatrist in William Friedkin's horror classic The Exorcist (1973). He continued acting sporadically in film and television through the 2000s, while also teaching at The New School in New York.

Teaching

edit

Storch served as a professor at Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts from 1974 to 1992, where he developed his signature approach combining Stanislavskian principles with rigorous text analysis.[12] He pioneered the "Syracuse Model," integrating professional regional theatre (through Syracuse Stage) with academic training - an approach later emulated by programs like Yale and Juilliard.[13]

His notable contemporary Frank Langella and student Taye Diggs frequently cited his transformative mentorship:

"Arthur demanded we mine the text for clues—every punctuation mark mattered. He'd say, 'If you're pretending, the audience will know.'"

— Frank Langella, Syracuse University Magazine (2015)[14]

Storch's pedagogical approach directly influenced his professional work. His 1978 production of Tribute, developed through Syracuse Stage's academic-theatre pipeline, transferred to Broadway with its "razor-sharp comic timing" intact.[15] This synergy between classroom and stage became a hallmark of his tenure.

Personal life

edit

Storch was married five times; Brook Hanna, Vergel Cook (actor), Virginia Kiser (actor), Cynthia Martin, & Peggy McEvoy and had three children, Max, Alexander & Bess. His son Max followed him into theatre as a production manager.[16]

Death and legacy

edit

Storch died from natural causes on March 5, 2013, in Manhattan.[17] In 2014, Syracuse Stage:

  • Established the **Arthur Storch Award for Outstanding New Play**
  • Named its mainstage in his honor
  • Premiered a WCNY-TV documentary about his career[18]

Tributes

edit

Following his death, Frank Langella recalled Storch as "a fierce advocate for actors and new plays," while Syracuse Stage artistic director Robert Hupp stated, "Arthur built this theater with sheer will and artistic integrity."[19] The Drama League honored him posthumously for his contributions to regional theatre.[20]

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
YearTitleRoleNotes
1957The Strange OneCadet SimmonsFilm debut; controversial military academy drama
1958The MuggerJack "Skippy" RandolphFilm noir starring Kent Smith
1960Girl of the NightJason Franklin Jr.Groundbreaking drama about prostitution rehabilitation
1963LonnieDr. RosenPsychological short film
1973The ExorcistPsychiatristUncredited role in hospital scene
2002BridgetHawkFinal film role; independent drama

Television

edit
YearTitleRoleNotes
1958Naked CityDr. FeldEpisode: "The Bumper" (Season 1)
1961The DefendersDr. LewinEpisode: "The Prowler"
1963East Side/West SideHarold WeissEpisode: "No Hiding Place"
1964The Doctors and the NursesDr. KaplanEpisode: "The Prisoner"
1964The NursesDr. BelmanEpisode: "The Gift"
1975Great PerformancesDirectorStaged The Comedy of Errors adaptation

Stage

edit

As actor

edit

As director

edit
YearProductionVenueNotes
1963The Typist and the TigerOff- Broadway
1965The Impossible YearsBrooks Atkinson TheatreBroadway debut as director
1966The OfficeCherry Lane TheatreOff-Broadway debut
1970Norman, Is That You?Lyceum TheatreLongest-running Broadway show (774 performances)
1972The Secret Affairs of Mildred WildEugene O'Neill TheatreStarring Maureen Stapleton
1964The Owl and the PussycatAnta Theatre
1976The Comedy of ErrorsSyracuse StageMusical adaptation
1978TributeBrooks Atkinson TheatreTransferred from Syracuse Stage
1986CyranoSyracuse StageWorld premiere with Frank Langella

References

edit
  1. ↑ "New York, New York City Births, 1846–1909". FamilySearch. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  2. ↑ Hirsch, Foster (1984). A Method to Their Madness: The History of the Actors Studio. W.W. Norton & Co. p. 112. ISBN 0306811022.
  3. ↑ "Studio Actors Give Plays". The New York Times. May 18, 1954.
  4. ↑ Garfield, David (1980). A Player's Place: The Story of The Actors Studio. Macmillan. p. 278. ISBN 978-0025426504.
  5. ↑ "Theatre: 'A Hatful of Rain'". The New York Times. November 10, 1955.
  6. ↑ "Theatre: 'The Night of the Iguana'". The New York Times. December 29, 1961.
  7. ↑ "Arthur Storch". IBDB.
  8. ↑ "Arthur Storch". Playbill.
  9. ↑ "History of Drama at Syracuse". Syracuse University Archives. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023.
  10. ↑ "The Storch Method". Syracuse University Magazine. 32 (1): 24. Spring 2015.
  11. ↑ "50 Years of Syracuse Stage". Syracuse Stage. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kramer, Peter D. (September 18, 2014). "Acting Legend Arthur Storch's Legacy Lives On". The Journal News. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023.
  13. ↑ "History of Drama at Syracuse". Syracuse University Archives. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023.
  14. ↑ "The Storch Method". Syracuse University Magazine. 32 (1): 24. Spring 2015. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023.
  15. ↑ "'Tribute' Moves to Broadway". The New York Times. June 2, 1978.
  16. ↑ "Arthur Storch Profile". Creative Youth Symphony. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Arthur Storch, Syracuse Stage Founder, Dies at 87". Playbill. March 7, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Documentaries on Frank Langella, Arthur Storch Air on WCNY". Syracuse University News. November 10, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Syracuse Stage Founder Arthur Storch Dies at 87". The Post-Standard. March 7, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Drama League Awards Archive". Drama League. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arthur_Storch&oldid=1334854019"