Saturday, April 21, 2007
SALEM LUDWIG 1915-2007
Salem Ludwig, an actor, director and teacher died on April 1, 2007 at the age of 91.
He studied at the Actor's Studio, and appeared in dozens & dozens of movies , TV shows and plays, as early as 1947 (actually even earlier -- as a dancer in Sweet Surrender in 1936), and as recently as 2007, in Savages with Laura Linney and Philip Bosco.
He taught acting and directing for many years at the HB Studio. Until very recently he was still climbing, with no complaints!, to his third floor classroom. He was a gentle man who gave strong and clear directions. (He also had strong political opinions and was blacklisted for years at what should have been the center of his career.)
I took several classes with him, both acting and directing, and always came away with useful information and, somehow, a feeling of encouragement and progress.
A terrific description can be found (NY Times registration may be needed for access) in Alvin Klein's 1989 review of Broadway Bound, in The New York Times:
"Best of all is Salem Ludwig as Eugene's stubborn, Trotsky-spouting grandfather, Ben, who urges the boys to become political satirists, not just joke machines. With masterful timing, the veteran actor finds the warmth in a man who says: ''I don't trust affection. Sometimes people give it instead of the truth.'' "
He will be missed.
Labels: Actor's Studio, broadway, film, HB Studio, Salem Ludwig, theater
