Cheryl Crawford

Cheryl Crawford (24 September 1902 - 7 October 1986) American actress, theatrical director and producer. She was also one of the founders of the Group Theatre. Among the many well-known productions she produced were Brigadoon, Porgy and Bess, One Touch of Venus, and Paint Your Wagon.

Related Topics:
24 September - 1902 - 7 October - 1986 - American - Actress - Theatrical director - Producer - Group Theatre - Brigadoon - Porgy and Bess - One Touch of Venus - Paint Your Wagon

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She was born in Akron, Ohio and began directing in her family's living room there. She majored in drama at Smith College where she was briefly expelled for smoking.

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Akron, Ohio - Drama - Smith College

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Moved to New York City, enrolled at the Theatre Guild. Worked as assistant to a director for the Theatre Guild?s stock company in upper New York. Also played poker and bottled bathtub gin to supplement her income.

Related Topics:
New York City - Theatre Guild - Stock company - Poker - Bathtub gin

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By 1931, Crawford creating her own company with Lee Strasberg, The Group Theatre. In 1933, the Group had its first commercial success, ?Men in White,? which won the Pulitzer Prize.

Related Topics:
1931 - Lee Strasberg - The Group Theatre - 1933

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In 1936 Crawford resigned from the company. As she recalled in her autobiography, One Naked Individual: My Fifty Years in the Theatre (Indianapolis and New York: The Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1977), ?I felt exhilarated, even cocky, to be on my own. I was going to do great things, bring to audiences distinguished plays, quality entertainment? (p. 103).

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Crawford was instrumental in the careers of such actors as Helen Hayes, Bojangles Robinson, Ethel Barrymore, Ingrid Bergman, Tallulah Bankhead and Paul Robeson among many others.

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Helen Hayes - Bojangles Robinson - Ethel Barrymore - Ingrid Bergman - Tallulah Bankhead - Paul Robeson

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In 1946, she set the American Repertory that included Eli Wallach, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and William Windom.

Related Topics:
1946 - Eli Wallach - Efrem Zimbalist Jr. - William Windom

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In 1947 she, Elia Kazan and Robert Lewis created The Actor's Studio Lee Strasberg joined in 1951.

Related Topics:
1947 - Elia Kazan - The Actor's Studio - Lee Strasberg - 1951

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source :Ohio Humanities Council article on Cheryl Crawford

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