Eric Bentley
Encyclopedia
Eric Bentley is a critic
, playwright, singer, editor and translator. He became an American
citizen in 1948, and currently lives in New York City
. In 1998 he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame
; he is also a member of the New York Theater Hall of Fame, in recognition of his years of performances in cabarets.
He attended Oxford University, receiving his degree in 1938, and subsequently attended Yale University (B.Litt, 1939 and PhD., 1941) where he received the John Addison Porter
Prize.
In addition to teaching at Columbia University
from 1953, Bentley was in the 1950s a theatre critic for The New Republic
, known for his blunt style of theatre criticism. Tennessee Williams
and Arthur Miller
threatened to sue Bentley for his unfavorable reviews of their work, but abandoned the attempt. From 1960-1961, Bentley was the Norton professor at Harvard University
.
Bentley met Bertolt Brecht
at UCLA as a young man and is considered one of the pre-eminent experts on Brecht, whose work he has translated. He edited the Grove Press
issue of Brecht's work, and made two albums of Brecht songs for the legendary Folkways Records
label, most of which had never been recorded in English before.
In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.
He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 1969. The same year, he came out of the closet and declared his homosexuality
. In an interview in the New York Times on 12 November 2006, he says he was married twice before coming out at age 53, and deciding, at the same time, to leave his post at Columbia to concentrate on his writing. He has stated his being gay as an influence on his theater work, especially his play Lord Alfred's Lover.
He has written many critical books, including A Century of Hero-Worship, The Playwright as Thinker, Bernard Shaw
, What is Theatre?, The Life of the Drama, Theatre of War, Brecht Commentaries, and Thinking about the Playwright. He has also edited The Importance Of Scrutiny (1964), a collection of pieces from what was probably the most important English-language critical quarterly in the mid-20th century, and Thirty Years of Treason: Excerpts from Hearings Before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, 1938–1968 (1971). His most-produced play, Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been (more properly Are You Now or Have You Ever Been: The Investigations of Show-Business by the Un-American Activities Committee 1947-1958), published in 1972, was based on the transcripts collected in Thirty Years of treason.http://www.glbtq.com/arts/bentley_e,2.html Another play, Lord Alfred's Lover, is based on the life of Oscar Wilde
.
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
, playwright, singer, editor and translator. He became an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizen in 1948, and currently lives in New York City
New 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...
. In 1998 he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame
American Theatre Hall of Fame
The American Theatre Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the Executive Committee. In an announcement at a luncheon meeting on March 1972, he said that the new Theater Hall of Fame would be located in the Uris Theatre . James M...
; he is also a member of the New York Theater Hall of Fame, in recognition of his years of performances in cabarets.
He attended Oxford University, receiving his degree in 1938, and subsequently attended Yale University (B.Litt, 1939 and PhD., 1941) where he received the John Addison Porter
John Addison Porter
John Addison Porter was an American Professor of Chemistry. He was born in Catskill, New York and died in New Haven, Connecticut...
Prize.
In addition to teaching at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
from 1953, Bentley was in the 1950s a theatre critic for The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, known for his blunt style of theatre criticism. Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
and Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons , Death of a Salesman , The Crucible , and A View from the Bridge .Miller was often in the public eye,...
threatened to sue Bentley for his unfavorable reviews of their work, but abandoned the attempt. From 1960-1961, Bentley was the Norton professor at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Bentley met Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
at UCLA as a young man and is considered one of the pre-eminent experts on Brecht, whose work he has translated. He edited the Grove Press
Grove Press
Grove Press is an American publishing imprint that was founded in 1951. Imprints include: Black Cat, Evergreen, Venus Library, Zebra. Barney Rosset purchased the company in 1951 and turned it into an alternative book press in the United States. The Atlantic Monthly Press, under the aegis of its...
issue of Brecht's work, and made two albums of Brecht songs for the legendary Folkways Records
Folkways Records
Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
label, most of which had never been recorded in English before.
In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.
He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1969. The same year, he came out of the closet and declared his homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. In an interview in the New York Times on 12 November 2006, he says he was married twice before coming out at age 53, and deciding, at the same time, to leave his post at Columbia to concentrate on his writing. He has stated his being gay as an influence on his theater work, especially his play Lord Alfred's Lover.
He has written many critical books, including A Century of Hero-Worship, The Playwright as Thinker, Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
, What is Theatre?, The Life of the Drama, Theatre of War, Brecht Commentaries, and Thinking about the Playwright. He has also edited The Importance Of Scrutiny (1964), a collection of pieces from what was probably the most important English-language critical quarterly in the mid-20th century, and Thirty Years of Treason: Excerpts from Hearings Before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, 1938–1968 (1971). His most-produced play, Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been (more properly Are You Now or Have You Ever Been: The Investigations of Show-Business by the Un-American Activities Committee 1947-1958), published in 1972, was based on the transcripts collected in Thirty Years of treason.http://www.glbtq.com/arts/bentley_e,2.html Another play, Lord Alfred's Lover, is based on the life of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
.
Critical works
- 1944 A Century Of Hero Worship
- 1946 The Playwright As Thinker
- 1947 Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
- 1953 In Search of Theater
- 1956 What Is Theatre?
- 1964 The Life Of The Drama
- 1972 Theater Of War
- 1981 Brecht Commentaries
- 1987 Thinking About The Playwright
Discography
- "A Man's A Man" by Bertolt Brecht Year of Release 1963
- Bentley on Biermann: Songs and Poems of Wolf Biermann Year of Release 1968
- Bentley on Brecht: Songs and Poems of Bertolt Brecht Year of Release 1965
- Bertolt Brecht before the Committee on Un-American Activities: An Historical Encounter
- Bertolt Brecht's The Exception and the Rule Year of Release 1965
- Eric Bentley Sings The Queen of 42nd Street Year of Release 1970
- Songs of Hanns Eisler Year of Release 1964
- The Elephant Calf and Small Comments on Large Themes Year of Release 1968
Dramatic works
- 1972 Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been: The Investigations of Show-Business by the Un-American Activities Committee 1947-1958
- 1979 Lord Alfred's Lover
External links
- Columbia Fetes American Theater Legend Eric Bentley
- NY Times: Eric Bentley at 90
- Bentley Discography on Folkways RecordsFolkways RecordsFolkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...