Israel "Ulu" Grosbard (9 January 1929 â€" 19 March 2012) was a
Belgian-born, naturalized American theatre and film director and film
producer.Born in Antwerp, Grosbard was the son of Rose (Tenenbaum) and
Morris Grosbard, who worked in business and as a diamond merchant.
Grosbard emigrated to Havana with his family in 1942; they were
fleeing the persecution of Jews by the German occupiers of Belgium
during World War II. In 1948, they moved to the United States, where
he earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the
University of Chicago. He studied then at the Yale School of Drama for
one year before joining the United States Army. Grosbard became a
naturalized citizen in 1954.Grosbard gravitated towards theatre when
he relocated to New York City in the early 1960s. After directing The
Days and Nights of BeeBee Fenstermaker off-Broadway, he earned his
first Broadway credit with The Subject Was Roses, for which he was
nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play in 1964.
That same year he won the Obie Award for Best Direction and the Drama
Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play for an off-Broadway
revival of the Arthur Miller play A View from the Bridge, for which
Dustin Hoffman served as stage manager and assistant director.
Belgian-born, naturalized American theatre and film director and film
producer.Born in Antwerp, Grosbard was the son of Rose (Tenenbaum) and
Morris Grosbard, who worked in business and as a diamond merchant.
Grosbard emigrated to Havana with his family in 1942; they were
fleeing the persecution of Jews by the German occupiers of Belgium
during World War II. In 1948, they moved to the United States, where
he earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the
University of Chicago. He studied then at the Yale School of Drama for
one year before joining the United States Army. Grosbard became a
naturalized citizen in 1954.Grosbard gravitated towards theatre when
he relocated to New York City in the early 1960s. After directing The
Days and Nights of BeeBee Fenstermaker off-Broadway, he earned his
first Broadway credit with The Subject Was Roses, for which he was
nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play in 1964.
That same year he won the Obie Award for Best Direction and the Drama
Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play for an off-Broadway
revival of the Arthur Miller play A View from the Bridge, for which
Dustin Hoffman served as stage manager and assistant director.
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