Walt Witcover
Quick Facts
Biography
Walter Witcover Scheinman (August 24, 1924 – November 15, 2013) was an American actor, director, and acting teacher born in New York City. His parents were Louis J. Scheinman, a sculptor and composer, and Juliette T. Benton, a critic and lecturer. He received a BA and MA from Cornell University and served in World War II.
Witcover studied acting under his mentor Lee Strasberg, as well as with Herbert Berghof, and Curt Conway. As director, three of his Off-Broadway productions won Obie Awards. He taught acting and directing at Berghof's studio for twenty-five years and was Professor of Theatre Arts at the State University of New York at Purchase Theatre Arts program, and at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He also was co-founder and Artistic Director of Masterworks Laboratory Theatre. He later founded the Witcover Acting Studio in New York City. He directed plays featuring Jane Alexander, Dominic Chianese, Jerry Stiller and Ernest Borgnine, among many others.
Witcover authored the 2004 book Living on Stage: Acting from the Inside Out: A Practical Process.