Gilbert, Irene

Stella Adler (1901-1992) was a renowned American actress of stage and screen, but is perhaps best known as one of the most influential teachers of acting in the United States.

Adler was born on February 10, 1901 to Jacob and Sara Adler, celebrated members of the New York Yiddish theater. She made her stage debut at the age of 4 in her father's production of Broken Hearts and spent the early part of her life performing throughout the United States, Europe and South America. She made her Broadway debut in 1922 in The World We Live In .

In 1925, Adler began taking classes at the American Laboratory Theater with the Russian teachers Richard Boleslavsky and Maria Ouspenskaya. It was under their instruction that she first became aware of the acting techniques of Constantin Stanislavski, whose system of training actors eventually became known as "The Method". She went on to become a member of the Group Theater in 1931 through Harold Clurman, whom she eventually married in 1943. The Group was founded by Clurman, Lee Strasberg and Cheryl Crawford with the intention of creating a repertory of actors that worked together as an ensemble. The Group was also dedicated to the teachings of Stanislavski and pioneered the American derivative of his technique, largely through the direction and teaching of Group founder, Lee Strasberg. The Group was responsible for launching the careers of some of the most talented playwrights, directors and actors of their time including the likes of Elia Kazan, Sanford Meisner and Clifford Odets. Adler received great acclaim for her work with the Group, most notably for her portrayal of Bessie Berger in Clifford Odet's Awake and Sing, but was generally troubled by their approach to acting. Strasberg's interpretation of Stanislavski's teaching relied heavily on the use of "affective memory". Adler felt that this approach relied too much on an actor's personal experience and this often put her and Strasberg at odds.

In 1934, Adler traveled to Paris and met Stanislavski. She told him that she was troubled by his teaching and he invited her to study with him. She did this for the next five weeks, taking extensive notes. When she returned to the United States, she began to pass on her new knowledge of Stanislavski's methods to other members of The Group and criticized Strasberg for relying too heavily on the actor's personal experience. Adler preferred to emphasize imagination and the study of text and character. This split between Strasberg and Adler continued after the demise of The Group in 1941. Strasberg continued to teach his technique through classes at the Actor's Studio, while Adler went on to found two schools of her own. Adler made her last stage appearance with the Group in 1935 as Clara in Paradise Lost .

Between the years of 1937 and 1961, Adler continued to act, direct and teach. She appeared in several films, under the name of Stella Ardler. They are Love on Toast, Shadow of a Thin Man and My Girl Tisa . She began to teach classes at the New School for Social Research and eventually opened her own studio in 1949. Students of the Stella Adler Acting Studio include Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro and Warren Beatty. Brando credited his career to Stella Adler and wrote the forward to her book The Technique of Acting . This is the only book Adler published during her life, although other books containing her lectures have been published posthumously.

Her last stage appearance was in 1961 in a London production of Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad . Bad reviews kept her from acting again, but she never stopped teaching. Her New York studio was renamed the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting in 1960 and continues to exist today. Adler also served as adjunct professor of acting at Yale University's School of Drama for several years and opened a second school in Los Angeles in 1986. This school was incorporated in 1985 as the Conservatory of Acting West and is now known as the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatres. Stella Adler remained active in teaching up until her death. She died of heart failure in her sleep on December 21, 1992.

Irene Gilbert was the creator and founder of the Conservatory of Acting West, Stella Adler's acting school in Los Angeles, California. This school is still in existence and is currently known as the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre. She worked with Stella Adler for over 31 years, producing all her Master Classes. Ms. Gilbert also worked for over 25 years in the entertainment industry as an actor and producer and served on the board of the Screen Actors Guild for 11 years.

From the guide to the Irene Gilbert and Stella Adler papers, circa 1959-1998, 1970-1992, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.)