Susan Strasberg

Susan Strasberg
Strasberg's 1973 promotional image for Mannix
Born Susan Elizabeth Strasberg
(1938-05-22)May 22, 1938
New York City, U.S.
Died January 21, 1999(1999-01-21) (aged 60)
New York City, U.S.
Nationality American
Occupation Actress
Years active 1953–1992
Spouse(s)
Christopher Jones
(m. 1965; div. 1968)
Children 1
Parent(s) Lee Strasberg
Paula Strasberg
Relatives John Strasberg (brother)

Susan Elizabeth Strasberg (May 22, 1938 – January 21, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actress, the daughter of the drama coach Lee Strasberg. She was nominated for a Tony Award when she was 18 years old.

Background and acting career

Strasberg in the 1950s

Strasberg was born in New York City to theatre director and drama coach Lee Strasberg of the Actors Studio and former actress Paula Strasberg. Her brother, John, is an acting coach. Her father was born in what is now Ukraine, and her mother in New York City. They were both from Jewish families who emigrated from Europe.

Strasberg attended the Professional Children's School, and then spent time at both The High School of Music & Art and the High School of Performing Arts.[1]

After a widely praised performance as a teenager in Picnic (1955), Strasberg originated the title role in the Broadway production of The Diary of Anne Frank and was nominated for a Tony Award at the age of 18. Strasberg became the youngest actress to star on Broadway with her name above the marquee title. In 1955, she appeared twice on the cover of Life (July 11, 1955 issue; November 11, 1955 issue) and soon after on the cover of Newsweek (December 19, 1955 issue). She later starred in the Italian-Yugoslav Holocaust film Kapò (1960) which was nominated for an Academy Award as its year's Best Foreign Language Film.

From the 1960s through the 1980s, Strasberg guest-starred in such television series as The Virginian, The Invaders, Bonanza, The F.B.I., Breaking Point, Burke's Law, The Streets of San Francisco, Night Gallery, McCloud, Alias Smith & Jones, The Big Valley, Remington Steele, and The Rockford Files ("The Countess" (1974), "Bad Deal In The Valley" (1976)), Mannix and The Love Boat. She lived in Italy in the early 1960s, where she was often called 'La Strasberg'. In 1993, she was a jury member for the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival.[2]

Writing

Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe visit Strasberg backstage at The Diary of Anne Frank

Strasberg wrote two best-selling books. Bittersweet was an autobiography in which she wrote about her tumultuous relationships with her parents and with actors Richard Burton and Christopher Jones, as well as with her own daughter's struggles with a heart defect. Marilyn and Me: Sisters, Rivals, Friends was about Strasberg's friendship with Marilyn Monroe, whom she called a "surrogate sister" and a "member" of the Strasberg family for many years.[3] Strasberg was working on a third book about her personal spiritual journey at the time of her death entitled Confessions of a New Age Heretic.[4]

Personal life

Before her marriage, Strasberg had relationships with Bobby Driscoll, Warren Beatty, Cary Grant, and Richard Burton.[5]

On September 25, 1965, Strasberg married actor Christopher Jones, with whom she had appeared in an episode of The Legend of Jesse James. Their daughter, Jennifer Robin, was born six months later. The couple divorced in 1968.[6]

Death

In the mid 1990s, Strasberg was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died of the disease at her home in New York City on January 21, 1999, at the age of 60.[7]

Filmography and Television

References

  1. ↑ Vallance, Tom. "Culture: Obituary: Susan Strasberg," The Independent (24 January 1999).
  2. ↑ "Berlinale: 1993 Juries". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
  3. ↑ Gussow, Mel (January 23, 1999). "ET Susan Strasberg, 60, Actress Lauded in 'Anne Frank,' Dies". New York Times. p. 2.
  4. ↑ Bosworth, Patricia (June 2003). "The Mentor and the Movie Star". Vanity Fair. p. 1.
  5. ↑ Smith, Kyle (February 8, 1999). "Frank Actress". People.
  6. ↑ Strasberg, Susan (May 5, 1980). "A Child Born Under a Square". People. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ Welkos, Robert W. (January 23, 1999). "Susan Strasberg; Stage, Film Actress, Daughter of Famed Acting Teacher". Los Angeles Times.
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