Morris Carnovsky

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Carnovsky (right) with Alan Safier in The Merchant of Venice (1973)

Morris Carnovsky (born September 5, 1897 in St. Louis , Missouri , † September 1, 1992 in Easton , Connecticut ) was an American theater and film actor .

life and career

After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis in 1920, he moved to Boston, where he worked on first productions in the theater company of EE Clive . In 1922 he made his stage debut in New York and soon became an established actor on Broadway , for example in the title role in Uncle Vanya and in several plays by George Bernhard Shaw . Even as a young man, he often embodied figures of middle or old age. The character actor was one of the founding members of the legendary Group Theater in 1931 and appeared in most of the plays written during the Group Theater's nine-year existence. He received special praise for his appearances in the pieces by Clifford Odets such as Awake and Sing , Paradise Lost , Golden Boy and Night Music - many of the roles Odets wrote for him.

When the Group Theater closed in 1940, Carnovsky moved to Hollywood, where he quickly became a sought-after supporting actor. Carnovsky, however, found acting in a film to be arduous, as there was seldom enough time to prepare for the roles. His roles were broad, from George Gershwin's father in the biopic Rhapsody in Blue (1945) to the cultivated villain and adversary of Humphrey Bogart in Late Atonement (1947) to the kindhearted judge in the noir classic Dangerous Passion (1950). His film career came to a sudden halt in the McCarthy era due to his previous membership in the United States Communist Party . He refused to denounce his colleagues as communists and was blacklisted . He could practically no longer find work in Hollywood, and from 1950 onwards he stopped making films for twelve years.

Carnovsky then turned back to the stage and earned great recognition , especially with Shakespeare roles. On the mediation of John Houseman , he played regularly from 1956 into old age at the American Shakespeare Theater in Stratford , after he had never appeared in a Shakespeare play despite his long career. He learned to appreciate Shakespeare and played in the title roles of King Lear and The Merchant of Venice . He also tried to combine the psychologized style of method acting with the poetic language of Shakespeare, and developed his own theory of acting on this basis. He set this out in the book The Actor's Eye , which he published in 1984 with his friend and colleague Peter Sander. He only returned to film and television roles occasionally after inquiries, as he preferred stage work.

Morris Carnovsky was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1979. From 1941 until his death he was married to his colleague Phoebe Brand (1907-2004), with whom he had a son named Stephen and who often appeared on stage together. His nephew was the actor James Karen . Morris Carnovsky died of natural causes five days before his 95th birthday.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Morris Carnovsky | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos. Retrieved April 15, 2020 (American English).
  2. ↑ Martin Banham, James R. Brandon: The Cambridge Guide to Theater . Cambridge University Press, 1995, ISBN 978-0-521-43437-9 ( google.de [accessed April 15, 2020]).
  3. ↑ James Barron: Morris Carnovsky Is Dead at 94; Acting Career Spanned 60 Years . In: The New York Times . September 2, 1992, ISSN  0362-4331 ( nytimes.com [accessed April 15, 2020]).
  4. ^ Morris Carnovsky | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos. Retrieved April 15, 2020 (American English).
  5. ↑ Martin Banham, James R. Brandon: The Cambridge Guide to Theater . Cambridge University Press, 1995, ISBN 978-0-521-43437-9 ( google.de [accessed April 15, 2020]).
  6. ^ Morris Carnovsky, Peter Sander: The actor's eye . Performing Arts Journal Publications, 1984, ISBN 978-0-933826-61-8 ( google.de [accessed April 15, 2020]).
  7. ^ Morris Carnovsky | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos. Retrieved April 15, 2020 (American English).
  8. ↑ Matt Schudel closeMatt SchudelObituary writerEmailEmailBioBioFollowFollow: James Karen, character actor who appeared with giants and the 'Living Dead,' dies at 94.Retrieved on April 15, 2020 (English).
  9. ↑ James Barron: Morris Carnovsky Is Dead at 94; Acting Career Spanned 60 Years . In: The New York Times . September 2, 1992, ISSN  0362-4331 ( nytimes.com [accessed April 15, 2020]).
personal data
SURNAME Carnovsky, Morris
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH September 5, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH St. Louis , Missouri
DATE OF DEATH September 1, 1992
Place of death Easton , Connecticut