Robert Lewis was a pioneering figure in the American theatre, having been an original member of the Group Theatre in the 1930s and co-founder of the esteemed Actors Studio in 1947. With a brief stint as a character actor in Hollywood under contract to Fox Studios and later MGM, Lewis's true passion lay in the realm of stage direction, where he would go on to become one of the most respected and celebrated directors of Broadway plays.
Throughout his illustrious career, Lewis was deeply committed to the development and teaching of the Stanislavski System of acting, also known as the "Method", which he championed as a key component of his work. This dedication had a profound impact on the evolution of American acting, and his influence can still be felt today.
In the early years of his teaching tenure at The Actors Studio, Lewis's group of students, who met three times a week, consisted of an impressive array of talented individuals, including the likes of Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Maureen Stapleton, Eli Wallach, Mildred Dunnock, Jerome Robbins, Herbert Berghof, Tom Ewell, John Forsyth, Anne Jackson, Sidney Lumet, Kevin McCarthy, Karl Malden, E.G. Marshall, Patricia Neal, Beatrice Straight, and David Wayne, to name just a few.
Later in his career, Lewis served as the Head of the Acting and Directing Departments at The Yale School of Drama in the 1970s, a testament to his enduring influence on the world of theatre education. In recognition of his significant contributions to the world of theatre, Lewis was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in 1991.
