Morris Carnovsky
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Biography
A distinguished American stage actor with a background in Yiddish-language theater, Carnovsky worked with the Theater Guild on Broadway in the 1920s before becoming involved with New York's Group Theater, for whom he originated the roles of Dr. Levine in "Men in White," Jacob in "Awake and Sing!" and Mr. Bonaparte in "Golden Boy." In the late 1930s Carnovsky gravitated to Hollywood, where he began with a memorable turn as author Anatole France in the Oscar-winning "The Life of Emile Zola" (1937) and expounded his anti-fascist views in Lewis Milestone's "Edge of Darkness" (1943) and Herbert Biberman's "The Master Race" (1944). Dignified whether playing heroes or villains, the compact Carnovsky appeared in several fine films of the 40s and 50s including "Cornered" (1945), "Dead Reckoning" (1947), "Thieves Highway" (1949), "Gun Crazy" (1950) and the touching drama, "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" (1945).
Shortly after completing a role in Stanley Kramer's "Cyrano de Bergerac" (1950), Carnovsky was called upon to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Refusing to compromise his rights or to vilify colleagues, Carnovsky was blacklisted but, partly thanks to the help of John Houseman, was able to revive his career in live theater. Portraying characters from Shylock to Lear (at the American Shakespeare Festival) and enjoying many of the plums of the classical and contemporary repertory during the next three decades, Carnovsky enjoyed his career peak late in life, though American films of that period were denied a singular talent.
Filmography
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Life Events
1914
Played Benjamin Disraeli in a high school play
1920
Professional stage acting debut with the Henry Jewett Players in Boston
1922
Broadway debut in "The God of Vengeance"
1924
Was a member of the Theater Guild's acting company
1929
Portrayed the title role in Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya"
1931
Joined the Group Theater
1937
Moved to Hollywood
1937
Feature debut as Anatole France in "The Life of Emile Zola"
1951
Placed on the stand by the House Un-American Activities Committee; refused to name names and was blacklisted
1951
Last feature film for over a decade, "The Second Woman"
1956
Brought by the late producer John Housesman to perform at the American Shakespeare Festival Theater in Stratford, Connecticut
1962
Returned to feature films to act in Sidney Lumet's adaptation of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge"
1974
Last feature film, Karel Reisz's "The Gambler"
1983
Final stage performance as Firs in Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" at the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven, Connecticut
1984
Acted in an "American Playhouse" dramatization of part of the life of novelist Isaac Bashevis Singer, "The Cafeteria"
1989
Appeared on an installment of the PBS series "American Masters" entitled "Broadway Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre"
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