TOO Episode 173 - The Book Club 03 | To The Actor by Michael Chekhov

In this episode, Adam and Budi discuss their third choice for The Theatre of Others Book Club, To the Actor by Michael Chekhov.

Mikhail Chekhov was born in St. Petersburg, Russia in August 1891. His father, Aleksandr was the brother of the great playwright Anton Chekhov. In 1912, Chekhov became a leading actor of the Moscow Arts Theater, studying Stanislavski’s new method of acting training. Chekhov became Stanislavski’s ‘most brilliant pupil’. By 1918 Chekhov began to investigate Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual science through his friend. Chekhov began incorporating some of Steiner’s philosophies in his work creating his own acting technique. In 1922 he became head of the First Studio of the Moscow Art Theater. Leaving Russia in 1928 he traveled Europe staging many productions and establishing a theatre course in Dartington Hall in Devon, England, and training The Group Theatre in 1938 when he moved to the United States, to set up a new school for actors. During the 1940s, Chekhov acted in Hollywood movies such as Hitchcock’s ‘Spellbound’, for which he was nominated for an Oscar. His students later included Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Jack Palance, and Marilyn Monroe. Chekhov died on September 30th, 1955 in Hollywood.

Mentioned in this episode:

Waiting for Guffman
Rudolf Steiner
Sulerjitski