Arthur Storch
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Arthur Storch (June 29, 1925 – March 5, 2013) was an American actor, theatre director, and educator. A life member of
The Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The studio is best known for its work refining ...
, 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 Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...
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 ''A Hatful of Rain'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Eva Marie Saint, Don Murray, Anthony Franciosa, Lloyd Nolan and Henry Silva. The story is based on a 1955 Broadway play of the same name
'', '' The Night of the Iguana'') and director (''
Tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of lands which the state con ...
'', ''Norman, Is That You?''). He also appeared in films including ''
The Exorcist ''The Exorcist'' is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on The Exorcist (novel), his 1971 novel. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller (play ...
'' (1973) and mentored actors like
Frank Langella Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American actor. He eschewed the career of a traditional film star by making the stage the focal point of his career, appearing frequently on Broadway. He has received four Tony Awards (out of ...
.


Early life

Arthur Storch was born on June 29, 1925, in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York, to a Jewish family. 1He attended Thomas Jefferson High School. Like many of his generation, he enlisted in the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor, crossed Normandy early in the campaign, and advanced deep into Germany by the war's end. After his service, he studied drama at
The New School The New School is a Private university, private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for p ...
under
Erwin Piscator Erwin Friedrich Maximilian Piscator (17 December 1893 – 30 March 1966) was a German theatre director and Theatrical producer, producer. Along with Bertolt Brecht, he was the foremost exponent of epic theatre, a form that emphasizes the socio- ...
in the 1940s. 2In 1952, Storch joined
The Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The studio is best known for its work refining ...
, where he trained alongside
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''
and Julie Harris in
method acting Method acting, known as the Method, is a range of rehearsal techniques, as formulated by a number of different theatre practitioners, that seeks to encourage sincere and expressive performances through identifying with, understanding, and expe ...
. 3 1 2 3


Career


Early acting career

After studying at
The Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The studio is best known for its work refining ...
, 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 ''A Hatful of Rain'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Eva Marie Saint, Don Murray, Anthony Franciosa, Lloyd Nolan and Henry Silva. The story is based on a 1955 Broadway play of the same name
'' (1955) and the original production of
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...
' '' The Night of the Iguana'' (1961). His Broadway acting credits also included ''The Egghead'' (1957) and ''The Disenchanted'' (1958), establishing him as a character actor in dramatic roles.


Directing and Syracuse Stage

Storch founded Syracuse Stage in 1974 as a professional theater integrated with
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...
's drama program - an innovative model later adopted by
Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...
and
Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became the Juilliard School, named aft ...
. As artistic director until 1992, he: * Directed 50+ productions including the world premiere of ''
Tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of lands which the state con ...
'' (1978), which transferred to Broadway * Developed new works like
Frank Langella Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American actor. He eschewed the career of a traditional film star by making the stage the focal point of his career, appearing frequently on Broadway. He has received four Tony Awards (out of ...
's '' Cyrano'' (1986) * Taught acting using his signature text-analysis approach Under his leadership, Syracuse Stage became a regional powerhouse, premiering works as Patrick Meyer's, K2 (1984), and
Frank Langella Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American actor. He eschewed the career of a traditional film star by making the stage the focal point of his career, appearing frequently on Broadway. He has received four Tony Awards (out of ...
's '' Cyrano'' (1986).


Film and later work

Storch appeared as the psychiatrist in
William Friedkin William David Friedkin (; August 29, 1935 – August 7, 2023) was an American film, television and opera director, producer, and screenwriter who was closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in doc ...
's horror classic ''
The Exorcist ''The Exorcist'' is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on The Exorcist (novel), his 1971 novel. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller (play ...
'' (1973). He continued acting sporadically in film and television through the 2000s, while also teaching at
The New School The New School is a Private university, private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for p ...
in New York.


Teaching

Storch served as a professor at
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...
's College of Visual and Performing Arts from 1974 to 1992, where he developed his signature approach combining Stanislavskian principles with rigorous text analysis. He pioneered the "Syracuse Model," integrating professional regional theatre (through Syracuse Stage) with academic training - an approach later emulated by programs like
Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...
and
Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became the Juilliard School, named aft ...
. His notable contemporary
Frank Langella Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American actor. He eschewed the career of a traditional film star by making the stage the focal point of his career, appearing frequently on Broadway. He has received four Tony Awards (out of ...
and student Taye Diggs frequently cited his transformative mentorship: Storch's pedagogical approach directly influenced his professional work. His 1978 production of ''
Tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of lands which the state con ...
'', developed through Syracuse Stage's academic-theatre pipeline, transferred to Broadway with its "razor-sharp comic timing" intact. This synergy between classroom and stage became a hallmark of his tenure.


Personal life

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


Death and legacy

Storch died from natural causes on March 5, 2013, in Manhattan. 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


Tributes

Following his death,
Frank Langella Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American actor. He eschewed the career of a traditional film star by making the stage the focal point of his career, appearing frequently on Broadway. He has received four Tony Awards (out of ...
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." The Drama League honored him posthumously for his contributions to regional theatre.


Filmography


Film


Television


Stage


As actor

* ''
A Hatful of Rain ''A Hatful of Rain'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Eva Marie Saint, Don Murray, Anthony Franciosa, Lloyd Nolan and Henry Silva. The story is based on a 1955 Broadway play of the same name
'' (1955) - Broadway (Replacement) * '' The Egghead'' (1957) - Broadway (Howard Wagner) * '' The Disenchanted'' (1958) - Broadway (Understudy) * '' The Night of the Iguana'' (1961) - Broadway (Original cast)


As director


References


External links

* *
Syracuse Stage 50th Anniversary Archive
(archived 2023)
TCM Filmography

Arthur Storch
at the Internet Off-Broadway Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Storch, Arthur 1925 births 2013 deaths American male film actors American theatre directors Actors Studio alumni Actors from Brooklyn