Morris Carnovsky (September 5, 1897 â€" September 1, 1992) was an
American stage and film actor. He was one of the founders of the Group
Theatre (1931-1940) in New York City and had a thriving acting career
both on Broadway and in films until, in the early 1950s, professional
colleagues told the House Un-American Activities Committee that
Carnovsky had been a Communist Party member. He was blacklisted and
worked less frequently for a few years, but then re-established his
acting career, taking on many Shakespearean roles at the Stratford
Shakespeare Festival and performing the title roles in college campus
productions of King Lear and The Merchant of Venice. Carnovsky's
nephew is veteran character actor and longtime "Pathmark Guy" James
Karen.Carnovsky was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 5, 1897
to Ike and Jennie Carnovsky, both Russian Jewish immigrants. His
father, a grocer, took him to performances of the Yiddish theater. In
1975 he recalled: "There was such richness in their portrayals of
Jewish life. I could savor it. Once I smelled greasepaint, I was
committed." He graduated from Washington University in 1920 and then
moved to Boston where he acted in his first professional stage
production.In 1922, Carnovsky began his long career on Broadway with
his New York stage debut as Reb Aaron in The God of Vengeance. Two
years later, Carnovsky joined the Theatre Guild acting company and
appeared in the title role of Uncle Vanya (by Anton Chekhov). This was
followed by roles in Saint Joan (by George Bernard Shaw), The Brothers
Karamazov, The Doctor's Dilemma (also by Shaw) and the role of Kublai
Khan in Eugene O'Neill's Marco Millions.In 1931, he helped found the
Group Theatre, which specialized in dramas with socially relevant and
politically tinged messages. He later explained: "We founded the Group
because we were sick and tired of the old romantic theater and the
encrusted star system. We weren't interested in stars. We were looking
for real, living drama." Many of the Group's members were inspired by
the Moscow Art Theatre and several members, including Carnovsky and
his wife Phoebe Brand also joined the American Communist Party.
Carnovsky summered at Pine Brook Country Club in Nichols, Connecticut,
with the Group Theatre in 1936, as he worked with the Group during all
their summer rehearsal periods, most of which were spent in the
Catskills and upstate New York.
American stage and film actor. He was one of the founders of the Group
Theatre (1931-1940) in New York City and had a thriving acting career
both on Broadway and in films until, in the early 1950s, professional
colleagues told the House Un-American Activities Committee that
Carnovsky had been a Communist Party member. He was blacklisted and
worked less frequently for a few years, but then re-established his
acting career, taking on many Shakespearean roles at the Stratford
Shakespeare Festival and performing the title roles in college campus
productions of King Lear and The Merchant of Venice. Carnovsky's
nephew is veteran character actor and longtime "Pathmark Guy" James
Karen.Carnovsky was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 5, 1897
to Ike and Jennie Carnovsky, both Russian Jewish immigrants. His
father, a grocer, took him to performances of the Yiddish theater. In
1975 he recalled: "There was such richness in their portrayals of
Jewish life. I could savor it. Once I smelled greasepaint, I was
committed." He graduated from Washington University in 1920 and then
moved to Boston where he acted in his first professional stage
production.In 1922, Carnovsky began his long career on Broadway with
his New York stage debut as Reb Aaron in The God of Vengeance. Two
years later, Carnovsky joined the Theatre Guild acting company and
appeared in the title role of Uncle Vanya (by Anton Chekhov). This was
followed by roles in Saint Joan (by George Bernard Shaw), The Brothers
Karamazov, The Doctor's Dilemma (also by Shaw) and the role of Kublai
Khan in Eugene O'Neill's Marco Millions.In 1931, he helped found the
Group Theatre, which specialized in dramas with socially relevant and
politically tinged messages. He later explained: "We founded the Group
because we were sick and tired of the old romantic theater and the
encrusted star system. We weren't interested in stars. We were looking
for real, living drama." Many of the Group's members were inspired by
the Moscow Art Theatre and several members, including Carnovsky and
his wife Phoebe Brand also joined the American Communist Party.
Carnovsky summered at Pine Brook Country Club in Nichols, Connecticut,
with the Group Theatre in 1936, as he worked with the Group during all
their summer rehearsal periods, most of which were spent in the
Catskills and upstate New York.
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