Charles E. Conrad
Encyclopedia
Charles Erich Conrad was an American
actor, best known for his work as a film acting coach.
, the only child of German immigrants, Charles Conrad spent his early years growing up in New York City’s upper east side. At age of 17, he escaped the tenements that lined 89th street and joined the Navy; where he served as an armed guard on Merchant ships during World War II. Shortly after his discharge from the service, he returned to high school, earned his diploma and was immediately accepted to Adelphi college where he majored in English. His education continued at the Carnegie Institute of Technology where he studied theater Directing, graduating with a Master’s Degree. It was his directorial thesis of Chekhov
’s Uncle Vanya
that earned him a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London
. As he once relayed to a good friend, “I didn’t have the money to get to London so I just turned it down. It was a decision I came to regret many times over.” In 1952, he began studying the craft of acting with Sanford Meisner
at the Neighborhood Playhouse
. After seeing Conrad direct a series of several short stories, Meisner recognized his talent and prospects as a future acting teacher and promptly made him his senior assistant. It was during this time that Charles Conrad would be given the opportunity to instruct such future acting greats as: Robert Duvall
, Jack Nicholson
, Susan Sarandon
and Joanne Woodward
.
in Hollywood. But the excitement of moving from New York to the West Coast and from a salary of $95.00 a week at the Neighborhood Playhouse to $45,000 a year at Fox was short lived when studio’s proposed acting program fell through. However, Mr. Conrad’s tenure as Meisner’s long time assistant earned him a reputation as a gifted teacher that paved the way for the opening his own studio where he would define and redefine the Meisner Technique. It was at the CEC Studio in Burbank that Charles Conrad would emerge as one of the film industry’s most distinguished acting teachers.
The exercise was always carried out w/ two cameras (one focused on each actor) with a table and 2 chairs the only props and without the 2 actors doing any kind of rehearsal together, whatsoever. His teachings were primarily for use in film and the intimacy of the naked truth that is only revealed through the eye of the camera, in the "Close Up" shot!
The simplicity of the Conrad's message was that the technique would allow the creative process to kick in resulting in each actor living moment to moment in a highly intuitive state. The work required that the actor stay out of his or her own way, to allow their partner to create the circumstance in which true feelings would be engendered. In other words, Conrad’s students were trained viscerally rather than cerebrally, which meant their work was usually spontaneous and natural. Succinctly, the source of acting for each actor was his or her partner, thus the process of Re-Acting, not Acting.
Charles believed that the characters in scripts were in fact real in some time, place and existence in the Universe. That once put down on paper, that they did indeed exist. That it was the object of the actor (in getting out of the way), to allow the character to come to life through him/her in this here and now existence. That the character knows better than anyone how to behave and react in order to create the essence of each moment, in any given scene.
Some of his methods (teachings) revolved around the disciplines of Zen in the Arts, teachings! That like "Zen in the Art of Archery", the objective of the archer, was not so much to hit the target, as it was to hit one's self in the target! Thus opening the door to that which could not be seen or even exist in an over rehearsed (manufactured or artificial reality) scene. But rather only come to life in that moment, whereby the actor is no longer in himself. But in the eyes of his partner across the table. Like with the archer, his actual target is in each and every moment the target is struck. Finding ones self in the eyes of your partner, then succinctly leads to the actor being displaced by the character in the script of the scene!
Although no cameras were used in the first early years of The Charles Conrad Studio, magical moments were later thus captured on camera for that actor to use as an audition tape. Captured with professional quality cameras (and tapes) revealing the myriad of nuances and innuendo that we are all inherently unaware of. Except in the subconscious mind of each moment!
Thus Charles E. Conrad's students carried his super real techniques for acting, into their own real lives, as shining eye to eye examples of the man (great teacher) he was himself. As his students (whether Academy Award Winners like Dee Wallace (Stone) or the ones that never performed beyond his classes, each took with them lessons for a lifetime!
Conrad died, aged 84, from kidney failure on October 29, 2009.
, Kim Basinger
, Corbin Bernsen
, Susan Blakely
, Keith Carradine
, Robert Carradine
, Lynda Carter
, Joanna Cassidy
, Damian Chapa
, Jamie Lee Curtis
, Tyne Daly
, Kevin Dobson
, Michael Dorn
, Greg Evigan
, Teri Garr
, Linda Gray
, Veronica Hamel
, Mark Harmon
, Penny Marshall
, Ali McGraw, Chuck Norris
, Joe Penny
, Michelle Pfeiffer
, Valerie Perrine
, Victoria Principal
, Dennis Quaid
, Diana Ross
, Talia Shire
, Suzanne Somers
, Philip Michael Thomas
, Karen Valentine
and dozens of others. There is also a myriad of well-known gifted acting coaches who've emerged as the result of Conrad’s tutelage including: R. J. Adams
, Scott-Arthur Allen, Brian Cutler, Robert Wald, Michele Condrey, Steve Eastin
, Shea Hampton, Judy Kerr, Alan Landers
, David Lehman, Judy Lewis
and Dee Wallace.
“I’ve worked with so many actors with great looks who can easily describe a bowl of fruit, but don’t know how to let the audience taste it.”
“I really hate the word scene because it denotes and encourages fake acting.”
“Learning film acting without cameras is like trying to give horseback riding lessons without a horse.”
"Sharon Tate, such a beautiful girl, you would have thought she would have all the confidence in the world. But she had none."
“If you don’t know who you are you’ll never be an actor.”
“Rather than giving a non-confident actor a one hundred pound bar bell and asking him to lift over his head so it’ll crush him, you simply give him a helium filled Balloon with the words, 100 pounds written on it until and gradually substitute one for the other.”
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor, best known for his work as a film acting coach.
Early years
Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the only child of German immigrants, Charles Conrad spent his early years growing up in New York City’s upper east side. At age of 17, he escaped the tenements that lined 89th street and joined the Navy; where he served as an armed guard on Merchant ships during World War II. Shortly after his discharge from the service, he returned to high school, earned his diploma and was immediately accepted to Adelphi college where he majored in English. His education continued at the Carnegie Institute of Technology where he studied theater Directing, graduating with a Master’s Degree. It was his directorial thesis of Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
’s Uncle Vanya
Uncle Vanya
Uncle Vanya is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897 and received its Moscow première in 1899 in a production by the Moscow Art Theatre, under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski....
that earned him a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. As he once relayed to a good friend, “I didn’t have the money to get to London so I just turned it down. It was a decision I came to regret many times over.” In 1952, he began studying the craft of acting with Sanford Meisner
Sanford Meisner
Sanford Meisner , also known as Sandy, was an American actor and acting teacher who developed a form of Method acting that is now known as the Meisner technique....
at the Neighborhood Playhouse
Neighborhood Playhouse
The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre is an actor training school at 340 East 54th Street in New York City, generally associated with the Meisner technique of Sanford Meisner.-History:...
. After seeing Conrad direct a series of several short stories, Meisner recognized his talent and prospects as a future acting teacher and promptly made him his senior assistant. It was during this time that Charles Conrad would be given the opportunity to instruct such future acting greats as: Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
, Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
, Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
and Joanne Woodward
Joanne Woodward
Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward is an American actress, television and theatrical producer, and widow of Paul Newman...
.
CEC studio
In the early 1960s, Meisner commissioned Charles Conrad with the task of training contract players at 20th Century Fox20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
in Hollywood. But the excitement of moving from New York to the West Coast and from a salary of $95.00 a week at the Neighborhood Playhouse to $45,000 a year at Fox was short lived when studio’s proposed acting program fell through. However, Mr. Conrad’s tenure as Meisner’s long time assistant earned him a reputation as a gifted teacher that paved the way for the opening his own studio where he would define and redefine the Meisner Technique. It was at the CEC Studio in Burbank that Charles Conrad would emerge as one of the film industry’s most distinguished acting teachers.
The Conrad technique
Like Meisner, Conrad relied on the Repetition Exercise of learning scripts (fast repetition of the words until they are memorized). Without memorizing any actions or feelings. So that when it became time to perform an actual scene or exercise, each actor would depend on the other for his or her source of acting. But the most noticeable difference between the two men (other than their personalities), was that Charles implemented the text into the exercise of actual scripts. Stripped of any direction or pre-disposed feelings. That unlike most exercises or performances, the words were simply memorized and were not meant to come to life, until your attention was on the other actor in the exercise. This rather than relying strictly on improvisation in order to bring in "Here and Now" moments was the difference. This brought his exercises to life, just as in real life moments in time.The exercise was always carried out w/ two cameras (one focused on each actor) with a table and 2 chairs the only props and without the 2 actors doing any kind of rehearsal together, whatsoever. His teachings were primarily for use in film and the intimacy of the naked truth that is only revealed through the eye of the camera, in the "Close Up" shot!
The simplicity of the Conrad's message was that the technique would allow the creative process to kick in resulting in each actor living moment to moment in a highly intuitive state. The work required that the actor stay out of his or her own way, to allow their partner to create the circumstance in which true feelings would be engendered. In other words, Conrad’s students were trained viscerally rather than cerebrally, which meant their work was usually spontaneous and natural. Succinctly, the source of acting for each actor was his or her partner, thus the process of Re-Acting, not Acting.
Charles believed that the characters in scripts were in fact real in some time, place and existence in the Universe. That once put down on paper, that they did indeed exist. That it was the object of the actor (in getting out of the way), to allow the character to come to life through him/her in this here and now existence. That the character knows better than anyone how to behave and react in order to create the essence of each moment, in any given scene.
Some of his methods (teachings) revolved around the disciplines of Zen in the Arts, teachings! That like "Zen in the Art of Archery", the objective of the archer, was not so much to hit the target, as it was to hit one's self in the target! Thus opening the door to that which could not be seen or even exist in an over rehearsed (manufactured or artificial reality) scene. But rather only come to life in that moment, whereby the actor is no longer in himself. But in the eyes of his partner across the table. Like with the archer, his actual target is in each and every moment the target is struck. Finding ones self in the eyes of your partner, then succinctly leads to the actor being displaced by the character in the script of the scene!
Although no cameras were used in the first early years of The Charles Conrad Studio, magical moments were later thus captured on camera for that actor to use as an audition tape. Captured with professional quality cameras (and tapes) revealing the myriad of nuances and innuendo that we are all inherently unaware of. Except in the subconscious mind of each moment!
Thus Charles E. Conrad's students carried his super real techniques for acting, into their own real lives, as shining eye to eye examples of the man (great teacher) he was himself. As his students (whether Academy Award Winners like Dee Wallace (Stone) or the ones that never performed beyond his classes, each took with them lessons for a lifetime!
End of an era
In 1993, the much revered teacher decided to gradually retire and moved to Sedona, Arizona where he’d commute on a once a week basis to his studio in Burbank. By early 1994 was fully retired and lived in a secluded area on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state with his wife Pam and their 12 barking disciples.Conrad died, aged 84, from kidney failure on October 29, 2009.
Conrad-trained actors and coaches
Charles Conrad not only succeeded in helping his students learn valuable life lessons, but also paved the way for dozens of young actors to reach stardom in film and television. The list includes: Ed Begley, Jr.Ed Begley, Jr.
Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...
, Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger
Kimila Ann "Kim" Basinger is an American actress and former fashion model.She is known for her portrayals of Domino Petachi, the Bond girl in Never Say Never Again , and Vicki Vale, the female lead in Batman . Basinger received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture...
, Corbin Bernsen
Corbin Bernsen
Corbin Dean Bernsen is an American actor and director, known for his work on television. He is best known for his roles as divorce attorney Arnold Becker on the NBC drama series L.A. Law, and as retired police detective Henry Spencer on the USA Network comedy-drama series Psych...
, Susan Blakely
Susan Blakely
Susan Blakely is an American film actress who has mainly played supporting roles.-Early life:Blakely was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1948. She is the daughter of Weezie, a former art teacher, and Colonel Lawrence Blakely, a career Army officer. Her first career break came while she was living...
, Keith Carradine
Keith Carradine
Keith Ian Carradine is an American actor who has had success on stage, film and television. In addition, he is a Golden Globe and Oscar winning songwriter. As a member of the Carradine family, he is part of an acting "dynasty" that began with his father, John Carradine.-Early life:Keith...
, Robert Carradine
Robert Carradine
Robert Reed Carradine is an American actor. The youngest of the Carradine family of actors, he made his first appearances on television western series such as Bonanza and his older brother David's Kung Fu. Carradine's first film role was in the 1972 film The Cowboys opposite Roscoe Lee Browne and...
, Lynda Carter
Lynda Carter
Lynda Jean Carter is an American actress and singer, best known for being Miss World USA and as the star of the 1970s television series The New Original Wonder Woman and The New Adventures of Wonder Woman ....
, Joanna Cassidy
Joanna Cassidy
Joanna Cassidy is an American film and television actress. She is known for her role as the replicant Zhora in the Ridley Scott's film Blade Runner...
, Damian Chapa
Damian Chapa
Damian Robert Chapa is a Mexican-American actor, film director and film producer.Chapa was born in Dayton, Ohio, USA. He was briefly married to Natasha Henstridge. Among his earlier notable film roles are one of the leads in Taylor Hackford's Blood In Blood Out and the part of Ken in the film...
, Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress and author. Although she was initially known as a "scream queen" because of her starring roles in several horror films early in her career, such as Halloween, The Fog, Prom Night and Terror Train, Curtis has since compiled a body of work that spans many...
, Tyne Daly
Tyne Daly
Tyne Daly is an American stage and screen actress, widely known for her work as Detective Mary Beth Lacey in the television series Cagney & Lacey and as Maxine Gray in the television series Judging Amy. She is also known for her role as Alice Henderson in television series Christy...
, Kevin Dobson
Kevin Dobson
Kevin Patrick Dobson is an American film and television actor of Irish descent, who is primarily known for his roles on television. His most prominent roles were as Lt. Theo Kojak's trusted partner, Det. Bobby Crocker on the popular 1970s TV crime drama Kojak, and as Karen MacKenzie's second...
, Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn is an American actor, and voice artist who is best known for his role as the Klingon Worf from the Star Trek franchise.-Early life and career:...
, Greg Evigan
Greg Evigan
Gregory Ralph "Greg" Evigan is an American actor best known for the TV series B.J. and the Bear, My Two Dads, P.S. I Luv U and TekWar.-Personal life:...
, Teri Garr
Teri Garr
-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
, Linda Gray
Linda Gray
Linda Ann Gray is an American actress, best known for her role as Sue Ellen Ewing on the television prime-time soap opera Dallas.-Career:Prior to acting, Gray began working as a model in the 1960s...
, Veronica Hamel
Veronica Hamel
Veronica Hamel is an American actress.- Biography :After Hamel graduated from Temple University, she worked as a secretary for a company that manufactured ironing board covers. She began a fashion modeling career after being discovered by Eileen Ford...
, Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon is an American actor who has been starring in American television programs and films since the mid-1970s, after a career as a collegiate football player with the UCLA Bruins. Since 2003, Harmon has starred as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the CBS series NCIS.-Early life:Harmon was born Thomas...
, Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall is an American actress, producer and director.After playing several small roles for television, she was cast as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne and Shirley...
, Ali McGraw, Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
, Joe Penny
Joe Penny
Joseph Edward Penny, Jr., credited as Joe Penny is an actor best known for his role as Nick Ryder on the detective series Riptide from 1984 to 1986 and for his role as Jake Styles in the CBS television series Jake and the Fatman from 1987 to 1992.-Early life:Penny was born in London, England to an...
, Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Marie Pfeiffer is an American actress. She made her film debut in 1980 in The Hollywood Knights, but first garnered mainstream attention with her performance in Brian De Palma's Scarface . Pfeiffer has won numerous awards for her work...
, Valerie Perrine
Valerie Perrine
- Life and career :Perrine was born in Galveston, Texas, the daughter of Winifred , a dancer who appeared in Earl Carroll's Vanities, and Kenneth Perrine, a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army. Owing to her father's career, Perrine lived in many locations as the family moved to different...
, Victoria Principal
Victoria Principal
Victoria Principal is an American actress, best known for her role as Pamela Barnes Ewing on the CBS nighttime drama Dallas from 1978 to 1987.-Early life:...
, Dennis Quaid
Dennis Quaid
Dennis William Quaid is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder...
, Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, Talia Shire
Talia Shire
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, Suzanne Somers
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, Philip Michael Thomas
Philip Michael Thomas
Philip Michael Thomas is an American actor. Thomas's most famous role is that of detective Ricardo Tubbs on the hit 1980s TV series Miami Vice. His first notable roles were in Coonskin and opposite Irene Cara in the 1976 film Sparkle...
, Karen Valentine
Karen Valentine
Karen Valentine is an American actress best-known for her role as the idealistic schoolteacher "Alice Johnson" in the television series Room 222.-Early life:...
and dozens of others. There is also a myriad of well-known gifted acting coaches who've emerged as the result of Conrad’s tutelage including: R. J. Adams
R. J. Adams
R. J. Adams is a film/television actor, acting coach, documentary filmmaker and radio personality.-Beginnings:...
, Scott-Arthur Allen, Brian Cutler, Robert Wald, Michele Condrey, Steve Eastin
Steve Eastin
Steve Eastin is an American character actor. He has appeared in nearly 150 television and film roles throughout his decades long career....
, Shea Hampton, Judy Kerr, Alan Landers
Alan Landers
Alan Landers was an American male model and actor, best known as the "Winston Man", who appeared in advertising for Winston cigarettes.-Biography:...
, David Lehman, Judy Lewis
Judy Lewis
Judy Lewis was an American actress, writer, producer, and therapist, and the secret biological daughter of actor Clark Gable and actress Loretta Young.-History:...
and Dee Wallace.
Conrad quotations
“Concentration away from yourself is the creative source of acting for film & television.”“I’ve worked with so many actors with great looks who can easily describe a bowl of fruit, but don’t know how to let the audience taste it.”
“I really hate the word scene because it denotes and encourages fake acting.”
“Learning film acting without cameras is like trying to give horseback riding lessons without a horse.”
"Sharon Tate, such a beautiful girl, you would have thought she would have all the confidence in the world. But she had none."
“If you don’t know who you are you’ll never be an actor.”
“Rather than giving a non-confident actor a one hundred pound bar bell and asking him to lift over his head so it’ll crush him, you simply give him a helium filled Balloon with the words, 100 pounds written on it until and gradually substitute one for the other.”