Who Is Lee Strasberg?

Lee Strasberg, born Israel Lee Strassberg was an actor, director, producer and most importantly acting instructor and teacher. He was born in what is now known as Budaniv, Ukraine on November 17, 1901. His family later immigrated to New York and he later chose to become a naturalised citizen of the United States.

During his lifetime he joined with Harold Clurman to form the Group Theater in 1931, it lasted till about 1941. Through the Actors Studio formed sometime in 1947 he trained a large number of film personalities including Marlin Brando, Eli Wallach, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Paul Newman, Marilyn Monroe, Robert DeNiro, James Dean, Patricia Neal and several others.   

He appeared in front of the camera just 7 times. Of these his most famous role was of 'Hyman Roth' played in the film 'The Godfather II', in which he portrays an elderly Jewish mob boss. Strasberg, died in February 1982.

Born Israel 'Lee' Strasberg was a Jewish American,

He was involved in the Jewish theatre in America for a young age.  However, it was the visit of the Moscow Arts Theatre to the USA that captured Strasberg's imagination.

When some of the Moscow Arts Theatre's cast stayed behind in America to teach their special style of acting.
Strasberg trained with Ouspenskaya and Boleslavsky at the Lab Theatre, where he got his experience of the early Stanislavsky system (Stanislavsky went on to change his ideas drastically afterwards).  Strasberg was a corner stone of the American Group Theater, directing many of their most successful productions.

His focus on truthful emotion on stage, above all else, lead to his becoming known as the Method Man.  The Method was his version of what he had learned at the Lab.  Strasberg taught at the Actors Studio (though he didn't found it) and eventually lead it.

Lee Strasberg was the key beneficiary of Marilyn Monroe's vast fortune.  He was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the Godfather Part II, which role of Hyman Roth, the Jewish mobster, playing opposite his student Al Pacino.