Arthur Storch

Arthur Storch was born on June 29, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family.[^1] He attended Thomas Jefferson High School. Like many of his generation, he enlisted in the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor, crossed Normandy early in the campaign, and advanced deep into Germany by the war's end.

After his service, he studied drama at The New School under Erwin Piscator in the 1940s.[^2] In 1952, Storch joined The Actors Studio, where he trained alongside Marlon Brando and Julie Harris in method acting.[^3]

[^1]: {{cite web |title=New York, New York City Births, 1846–1909 |website=FamilySearch |url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WYM-LZL |access-date=2023-10-15}}

[^2]: {{cite book |last=Hirsch |first=Foster |title=A Method to Their Madness: The History of the Actors Studio |publisher=W.W. Norton & Co. |year=1984 |isbn=978-0393014231 |page=112}}

[^3]: {{cite news |title=Studio Actors Give Plays |work=The New York Times |date=1954-05-18 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1954/05/18/archives/studio-actors-give-plays.html}}

After studying at The Actors Studio,{{cite book |last=Garfield |first=David |title=A Player's Place: The Story of The Actors Studio |publisher=Macmillan |year=1980 |isbn=978-0025426504 |page=278}} Storch began his career as an actor in the 1950s. He appeared in several Broadway productions including Michael V. Gazzo's A Hatful of Rain (1955){{cite news |title=Theatre: 'A Hatful of Rain' |work=The New York Times |date=1955-11-10 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1955/11/10/archives/theatre-a-hatful-of-rain.html}} and the original production of Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana (1961).{{cite news |title=Theatre: 'The Night of the Iguana' |work=The New York Times |date=1961-12-29 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1961/12/29/archives/theatre-the-night-of-the-iguana.html}}

His Broadway acting credits also included The Egghead (1957){{cite web |title=Arthur Storch |website=IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/arthur-storch-16269}} and The Disenchanted (1958),{{cite web |title=Arthur Storch |website=Playbill |url=https://playbill.com/person/arthur-storch-vault-0000018216}} establishing him as a character actor in dramatic roles.

Storch founded Syracuse Stage in 1974 as a professional theater integrated with Syracuse University's drama program - an innovative model later adopted by Yale and Juilliard.{{cite web |title=History of Drama at Syracuse |website=Syracuse University Archives |url=https://library.syracuse.edu/scrc/theatre/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015200000/https://library.syracuse.edu/scrc/theatre/ |archive-date=2023-10-15}} As artistic director until 1992, he:

• Directed 50+ productions including the world premiere of Tribute (1978), which transferred to Broadway
• Developed new works like Frank Langella's Cyrano (1986)
• Taught acting using his signature text-analysis approach{{cite journal |title=The Storch Method |journal=Syracuse University Magazine |date=Spring 2015 |volume=32 |issue=1 |page=24}}

Under his leadership, Syracuse Stage became a regional powerhouse, premiering works as Patrick Meyer's, K2 (1984), and Frank Langella's Cyrano (1986).{{cite web |title=50 Years of Syracuse Stage |website=Syracuse Stage |url=https://www.syracusestage.org/50years/project-one-ephnc-52c5d-rzzcl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015200000/https://www.syracusestage.org/50years |archive-date=2023-10-15}}

Storch appeared as the psychiatrist in William Friedkin's horror classic The Exorcist (1973). He continued acting sporadically in film and television through the 2000s, while also teaching at The New School in New York.

Storch served as a professor at Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts from 1974 to 1992, where he developed his signature approach combining Stanislavskian principles with rigorous text analysis.{{cite news |last=Kramer |first=Peter D. |title=Acting Legend Arthur Storch's Legacy Lives On |work=The Journal News |date=2014-09-18 |url=https://www.lohud.com/story/life/2014/09/18/arthur-storch-acting/15820179/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015200000/https://www.lohud.com/story/life/2014/09/18/arthur-storch-acting/15820179/ |archive-date=2023-10-15}} He pioneered the "Syracuse Model," integrating professional regional theatre (through Syracuse Stage) with academic training - an approach later emulated by programs like Yale and Juilliard.{{cite web |title=History of Drama at Syracuse |website=Syracuse University Archives |url=https://library.syracuse.edu/scrc/theatre/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015200000/https://library.syracuse.edu/scrc/theatre/ |archive-date=2023-10-15}}

His notable contemporary Frank Langella and student Taye Diggs frequently cited his transformative mentorship:

{{quote|"Arthur demanded we mine the text for clues—every punctuation mark mattered. He'd say, 'If you're pretending, the audience will know.'"|Frank Langella|Syracuse University Magazine (2015){{cite journal |title=The Storch Method |journal=Syracuse University Magazine |date=Spring 2015 |volume=32 |issue=1 |page=24 |url=https://issuu.com/syracuseuniversity/docs/sumag_spring2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015200000/https://issuu.com/syracuseuniversity/docs/sumag_spring2015 |archive-date=2023-10-15}}}}

Storch's pedagogical approach directly influenced his professional work. His 1978 production of Tribute, developed through Syracuse Stage's academic-theatre pipeline, transferred to Broadway with its "razor-sharp comic timing" intact.{{cite news |title='Tribute' Moves to Broadway |work=The New York Times |date=1978-06-02 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/06/02/archives/tribute-moves-to-broadway.html}} This synergy between classroom and stage became a hallmark of his tenure.

==Personal life==

Storch was married five times; Brook Hanna, Vergel Cook (actor), Virginia Kiser (actor), Cynthia Martin, & Dr.Peggy McEvoy and had three children, Max, Alexander & Bess. His son Max followed him into theatre as a production manager.{{cite web |title=Arthur Storch Profile |website=Creative Youth Symphony |url=https://www.cys.org/about/artistic_staff_profiles/arthur_artie_storch.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015200000/https://www.cys.org/about/artistic_staff_profiles/arthur_artie_storch.html |archive-date=2023-10-15}}

Storch died from natural causes on March 5, 2013, in Manhattan.{{cite news |title=Arthur Storch, Syracuse Stage Founder, Dies at 87 |work=Playbill |date=2013-03-07 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/arthur-storch-syracuse-stage-founder-dies-at-87-com-205710}} In 2014, Syracuse Stage:

• Established the **Arthur Storch Award for Outstanding New Play**
• Named its mainstage in his honor
• Premiered a WCNY-TV documentary about his career{{cite news |title=Documentaries on Frank Langella, Arthur Storch Air on WCNY |website=Syracuse University News |date=2014-11-10 |url=https://news.syr.edu/blog/2014/11/10/documentaries-on-frank-langella-59-arthur-storch-air-this-month-on-wcny-tv-14660/}}

===Tributes===

Following his death, Frank Langella recalled Storch as "a fierce advocate for actors and new plays," while Syracuse Stage artistic director Robert Hupp stated, "Arthur built this theater with sheer will and artistic integrity."{{cite news |title=Syracuse Stage Founder Arthur Storch Dies at 87 |work=The Post-Standard |date=2013-03-07 |url=https://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/2013/03/syracuse_stage_founder_arthur_s.html}} The Drama League honored him posthumously for his contributions to regional theatre.{{cite web |title=Drama League Awards Archive |website=Drama League |url=https://dramaleague.org/programs/awards/archive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015200000/https://dramaleague.org/programs/awards/archive |archive-date=2023-10-15}}

• A Hatful of Rain (1955) - Broadway (Replacement)
• The Egghead (1957) - Broadway (Howard Wagner)
• The Disenchanted (1958) - Broadway (Understudy)
• The Night of the Iguana (1961) - Broadway (Original cast)

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb name|0832407}}
• {{IBDB name|16269}}
• [https://www.syracusestage.org/50years/project-one-ephnc-52c5d-rzzcl Syracuse Stage 50th Anniversary Archive] (archived 2023)
• [https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/185424%7C16251/Arthur-Storch/ TCM Filmography]
• [https://archive.today/20130415065639/http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=people&keyword=name&first=Arthur&last=Storch&middle= Arthur Storch] at the Internet Off-Broadway Database

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Category:1925 births

Category:2013 deaths

Category:American male film actors

Category:American theatre directors

Category:Actors Studio alumni

Category:Actors from Brooklyn

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