John Houseman(1902-1988)
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Academy Award-winning actor John Houseman's main contribution to
American culture was not his own performances on film but rather, his
role as a midwife to one of the greatest actor-directors-cinematic
geniuses his adopted country ever produced
(Orson Welles) and as a midwife to a whole
generation of actors as head of the drama division of the Juilliard
School.
Houseman was born Jacques Haussmann on September 22, 1902 in Bucharest, Romania, to May (Davies) and Georges Haussmann, who ran a grain business. His father was from an Alsatian Jewish family, and his mother, who was British, was of Welsh and Irish descent. John was raised in England, where he was educated. He emigrated to America in 1925, establishing himself in New York City, where he directed "Four Saints
in Three Acts" for the theater in 1934. He founded the Mercury Theatre
along with Orson Welles (whom he
affectionately called "The Dog-Faced Boy"). Their most important
success was a modern-dress version of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", in
which the spectre of Hitler and Mussolini's Fascist states were evoked.
As a producer assigned to Unit 891 of the Federal Theater Project
funded by the government's Works Progress Administration, he produced
the legendary production "Cradle Will Rock", a musical about the
tyranny of capitalism, with music by
Marc Blitzstein, creative input from
Welles, and starring leftists
Howard Da Silva and
Will Geer. The production was so
controversial, it was banned before its debut, although the did manage
to stage one performance. On Broadway, apart from the Mercury Theatre
and the WPA, Houseman directed "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1939)
and "Liberty Jones" and produced "Native Son" (1941). During World War
II, Houseman went to work for the Office of War Information and was
involved in broadcasting radio propaganda for the Voice of America.
After the war, Houseman returned to directing and produced
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's version of
Julius Caesar (1953).
He had produced his first film,
Orson Welles'
Too Much Johnson (1938), while
with the Mercury Theatre. He was involved with the pre-production of
Citizen Kane (1941) but fell out
with Welles due to Welles' already legendary ego. He produced a score
of major films and was involved in three television series before
devoting his life to teaching. He helped establish the acting program
at New York's famous Julliard School for the Arts, where he influenced
a new generation of actors. Ironically, he had appeared in only one
major movie, in a supporting role, before being tapped to replace
James Mason in
The Paper Chase (1973). He won an
Academy Award for the role and began a 15-year career as a highly
sought after supporting player.
John Houseman, who wrote three volumes of memoirs, "Run-Through"
(1972), "Front and Center" (1979) and "Final Dress" (1983), died at age
86 on October 31, 1988 after making major contributions to the theater
and film.
American culture was not his own performances on film but rather, his
role as a midwife to one of the greatest actor-directors-cinematic
geniuses his adopted country ever produced
(Orson Welles) and as a midwife to a whole
generation of actors as head of the drama division of the Juilliard
School.
Houseman was born Jacques Haussmann on September 22, 1902 in Bucharest, Romania, to May (Davies) and Georges Haussmann, who ran a grain business. His father was from an Alsatian Jewish family, and his mother, who was British, was of Welsh and Irish descent. John was raised in England, where he was educated. He emigrated to America in 1925, establishing himself in New York City, where he directed "Four Saints
in Three Acts" for the theater in 1934. He founded the Mercury Theatre
along with Orson Welles (whom he
affectionately called "The Dog-Faced Boy"). Their most important
success was a modern-dress version of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", in
which the spectre of Hitler and Mussolini's Fascist states were evoked.
As a producer assigned to Unit 891 of the Federal Theater Project
funded by the government's Works Progress Administration, he produced
the legendary production "Cradle Will Rock", a musical about the
tyranny of capitalism, with music by
Marc Blitzstein, creative input from
Welles, and starring leftists
Howard Da Silva and
Will Geer. The production was so
controversial, it was banned before its debut, although the did manage
to stage one performance. On Broadway, apart from the Mercury Theatre
and the WPA, Houseman directed "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1939)
and "Liberty Jones" and produced "Native Son" (1941). During World War
II, Houseman went to work for the Office of War Information and was
involved in broadcasting radio propaganda for the Voice of America.
After the war, Houseman returned to directing and produced
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's version of
Julius Caesar (1953).
He had produced his first film,
Orson Welles'
Too Much Johnson (1938), while
with the Mercury Theatre. He was involved with the pre-production of
Citizen Kane (1941) but fell out
with Welles due to Welles' already legendary ego. He produced a score
of major films and was involved in three television series before
devoting his life to teaching. He helped establish the acting program
at New York's famous Julliard School for the Arts, where he influenced
a new generation of actors. Ironically, he had appeared in only one
major movie, in a supporting role, before being tapped to replace
James Mason in
The Paper Chase (1973). He won an
Academy Award for the role and began a 15-year career as a highly
sought after supporting player.
John Houseman, who wrote three volumes of memoirs, "Run-Through"
(1972), "Front and Center" (1979) and "Final Dress" (1983), died at age
86 on October 31, 1988 after making major contributions to the theater
and film.