Freud, Ralph, 1901-1973

Freud was born in England in 1901; brought to the US as a child; attended Mercersburg Academy in PA and Detroit public schools; at 20 he became a member of the Bonstelle Stock Company of Detroit, and the next year toured as a general understudy for the Sothern and Marlowe Shakespeare Company; moved to CA in 1922 and became director at the Pasadena Community Playhouse, and in 8 years, played over 200 roles and directed more than 40 productions; became head of the San Francisco Federal Project in 1937; first came to UCLA to teach two summer courses in 1932; in 1938 became a lecturer for theater courses in the English Department; he was active in the creation of a separate Theater Arts Department, where he became a full professor and emeritus professor; died on Nov. 4, 1973.

Biography

Freud was born in England in 1901; brought to the U.S. as a child; attended Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania and Detroit public schools; at 20 he became a member of the Bonstelle Stock Company of Detroit, and the next year toured as a general understudy for the Sothern and Marlowe Shakespeare Company; moved to California in 1922 and became director at the Pasadena Community Playhouse, and in 8 years, played over 200 roles and directed more than 40 productions; became head of the San Francisco Federal Project in 1937; first came to UCLA to teach two summer courses in 1932; in 1938 became a lecturer for theater courses in the English Department; he was active in the creation of a separate Theater Arts Department, where he became a full professor and emeritus professor; died on November 4, 1973.

Biographical Narrative

Ralph Freud was born in London, England in 1901 and moved to the United States as a child. Freud attended Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania and Detroit public schools. At the age of 18 Freud joined the Detroit Arts and Crafts Theater. In 1920 Freud became a member of the Bonstelle Stock Company of Detroit, Michigan. While in Michigan, Freud attended Detroit Junior College then the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 1921 Freud toured as a general understudy for the Sothern and Marlowe Shakespeare Company. Freud moved to California in 1922 and became director of the Pasadena Community Playhouse. In 8 years, Freud played over 200 roles and directed more than 40 productions. In 1924, Freud and Gilmore Brown established the Playbox Theater in Los Angeles, the first arena stage theater in the United States. In 1933 Freud assumed the position of director for the San Francisco Jewish Community Theater. He became the head of the San Francisco Federal Theater Project in 1937. Freud first came to UCLA to teach two summer courses in 1932. From 1938 to 1947 Freud was a full-time lecturer for drama courses in the English Department. Freud played an active role in the creation of a separate Theater Arts Department in 1947. He served as head of the Theater Arts Department from 1947 to 1953 and was chairman of the department from 1953 to 1969. Freud also directed the Ramona Pageant in Hemet, California form 1952 to 1966. Freud became a full professor of Theater Arts at UCLA in 1954 and was granted emeritus status in 1969. In 1969 the Theater Arts Department dedicated its theater, build in 1962, to Freud, naming it the Ralph Freud Playhouse. The department also established a fellowship named the Ralph Freud Fellowship Fund in Acting in Freud's honor in 1969. Freud died on November 4, 1973.