John Houseman - Trivia

Stage and film director, producer, and actor, born in Bucharest, Romania. Educated in England, he arrived in the USA (1925) representing his father's grain business. He began to devote himself to writing and translating, then moved over to the theatre, coming to notice with his directorial debut, Four Saints in Three Acts (1934). He joined the Federal Theater Project, then co-founded with Orson Welles the Mercury Theatre (1937) and was closely associated with several of Welles's early productions, including Citizen Kane. After serving during World War 2 as chief of the overseas radio division of the Office of War Information, he commuted between Hollywood and New York as a producer and director. In the early 1970s he served as director of the new acting school and touring company of the Juilliard Academy, and then enjoyed an unexpected new life as an actor after his role as the acerbic law professor in The Paper Chase (1973).

John Houseman (September 22, 1902 – October 31, 1988) was a Romanian-born actor and film producer.

With Orson Welles, Houseman founded the Mercury Theater, best remembered for their 1938 radio adaptation of H.

Houseman produced more than two dozen films, including the 1946 film noir, The Blue Dahlia.

He was the Executive Producer of CBS's landmark Seven Lively Arts series.

In the 1980s, Houseman was also known for his role as grandfather Edward Stratton II in Silver Spoons, which starred Rick Schroder, and for his commercials for brokerage Smith Barney, which featured the catchphrase, "They make money the old fashioned way...they earn it."

He also made a guest appearance in John Carpenter's 1980 movie The Fog as Mr. Machen.

Houseman taught acting at The Juilliard School where his first graduating class included future stars Kevin Kline and Patti LuPone.

John Houseman lost his battle with spinal cancer in 1988 at his home in Malibu, California.

Preceded by: Joel Grey for Cabaret

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor 1973 for The Paper Chase

Succeeded by: Robert De Niro for The Godfather Part II

Trivia

He once claimed he had bedded both de Havilland sisters (i.e.