Sanford Meisner was a highly esteemed and influential acting instructor of the 20th century, widely regarded as one of the greatest acting teachers in America, alongside Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg.
He was a founding member of The Group Theatre from 1931 to 1941, and later began teaching at the New York-based Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in 1935. Meisner went on to head the acting program at the school from 1936 to 1958 and again from 1964 to 1990.
In addition to his work at the Neighborhood Playhouse, Meisner was also the head of the Twentieth Century-Fox Talent Program from 1959 to 1961. He developed his own unique acting technique, often referred to as "The Meisner Technique," which was influenced by the "Stanislavsky System."
Throughout his illustrious career, Meisner mentored and taught many talented actors and directors, including Academy Award winners such as Joan Fontaine, Jennifer Jones, Grace Kelly, Edmond O'Brien, Jo Van Fleet, Joanne Woodward, Gregory Peck, Joel Grey, Lee Grant, Diane Keaton, Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen, and Robert Duvall. He also taught renowned directors like Bob Fosse and Sydney Pollack.
Meisner's expertise and insights were documented in his book "Sanford Meisner on Acting," co-authored with Dennis Longwell. He was also the subject of a documentary titled "Sanford Meisner: The Theatre's Best Kept Secret" (1990),directed by Kent Paul.
