Tad Danielewski
{{short description|American film director}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Tad Danielewski
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Tadeusz Zbigniew Danielewski
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|03|29}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1993|01|06|1921|03|29}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, United States
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation = Film director
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|Sylvia Daneel|1950|1964|end=div}}|{{marriage|Priscilla Decatur Machold|1964|}}|{{marriage|Lillian D'Arc||1993|}}}}
| children = {{hlist|Christopher|Mark|Poe}}
}}
Tad Danielewski (March 29, 1921 – January 6, 1993) was a Polish-born American film director.
Early years
Born as Tadeusz Zbigniew Danielewski in Radom, Poland, he served in the Polish Underground during World War II but was captured and interred in a Nazi work camp until rescued by Patton's forces. He and his wife, actress Sylvia Daneel (née Sylwia Jadwiga Łakomska), emigrated to the United States in 1948. They formalized their union in the United States with a civil ceremony in Los Angeles, California on June 9, 1950, and shortly after began studying at the University of Iowa. They were naturalized as United States citizens on April 19, 1954 through a Special Act of Congress. The couple later divorced.Info. regarding Tad Danielewski and Sylvia Daneel (born as Sylwia Jadwiga Łakomska) from the New York City Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center (clippings files/3rd floor)[http://www.aticc.org/home/catablog-items/sylvia-daneel Sylvia Daneel profile], aticc.org; accessed June 24, 2015.[http://interactive.ancestrylibrary.com/7733/imusany1824_2147-00054/2621255?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestrylibrary.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgss%3dangs-c%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsfn%3dSylvia%26gsln%3dDanielewski%26MSAV%3d0%26uidh%3d57k%26pcat%3dIMG_CITIZENSHIP%26h%3d2621255%26recoff%3d12%2b14%26db%3dnysoundexpet%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord Extract with birthdate for Sylvia Daneel], ancestry.com; accessed September 3, 2015.
Career
After the war, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and started the Professional Actors Workshop in New York City, whose students included Martin Sheen, James Earl Jones, and Mercedes Ruehl. He was president of Stratton Productions, Inc. (NYC), a firm engaged in stage, film and TV productions.[https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/36350681 Danielewski biodata], The Daily Herald, Provo, Utah, October 16, 1977, p. 23; accessed August 11, 2014.
He worked at NBC as a studio supervisor and helped develop a new method for directing TV programs. In 1983, he provided the Polish translation of "Sweet Georgia Brown" for Mel Brooks's 1983 adaptation of To Be or Not to Be. He worked at the Brigham Young University Department of Theatre and Cinematic Arts from 1975–89. He moved to head up the USC drama department in Los Angeles until his death in 1993.{{cite news|title=Tad Danielewski, An Acting Teacher And a Director, 71, Dead|date=January 13, 1993|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/13/obituaries/tad-danielewski-an-acting-teacher-and-a-director-71.html}}
Personal life
Danielewski was married three times: first to actress Sylvia Daneel (née Sylvia Jadwiga Łakomska; born June 20, 1927), with whom he had a son, Christopher Danielewski; second to Priscilla Decatur Machold (later Mrs. Loeb), with whom he had two children: the novelist Mark Z. Danielewski, of House of Leaves fame, and the musician Poe (Anne Danielewski);{{cite web|url=http://realpoe.ning.com/page/about-poe|title=About Poe|publisher=The Official Poe Music Network|accessdate=November 1, 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730150024/http://realpoe.ning.com/page/about-poe|archivedate=July 30, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.onlyrevolutions.com|title=Official Only Revolutions website|accessdate=November 1, 2012}} third to Lillian Danielewski–that union was childless and ended with Tad Danielewski's death.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}
Death
Danielewski died of cancer in 1993 in Los Angeles, California, aged 71. He was survived by his widow, Lillian, as well as his former wives, and his three children from his first two marriages.{{cite news|title=Tad Z. Danielewski; Founder of Actors Workshop|date=January 13, 1993|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-01-13-mn-1148-story.html}}
Filmography
- 1961: The Big Wave
- 1962: No Exit
- 1965: Guide
- 1972: España puerta abierta
External links
- {{IMDb name|0199756}}
- [http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;cc=wiarchives;type=simple;rgn=Entire%20Finding%20Aid;q1=Danielewski;view=reslist;subview=detail;sort=freq;didno=uw-whs-tape00339a Tad Danielewski] at the University of Wisconsin's [https://web.archive.org/web/20140502211533/http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-tape00339a Actors Studio audio collection]; accessed August 11, 2014
- [https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/13/obituaries/tad-danielewski-an-acting-teacher-and-a-director-71.html The New York Times], January 13, 1993
- [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-01-13-mn-1148-story.html Article in the Los Angeles Times], January 13, 1993
References
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Category:Brigham Young University faculty
Category:Deaths from cancer in California
Category:Film directors from Los Angeles
Category:Polish emigrants to the United States