Actor Austin Pendleton was born March 27, 1940 in Warren, Ohio to Frances and Thorn Pendleton. He graduated from Yale University. He later became an ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, and acted in several of the theater's productions. His first film appearance in _Petulia , a minor and uncredited role. Since, he has made over 100 appearances in television and film.
An alumnus of Yale University.
Was nominated for Broadways 1981 Tony Award as Best Director (Play) for directing Elizabeth Taylor in a revival of Lillian Hellman s "The Little Foxes." Years earlier he played Leo in said play on Broadway.
Began a lifelong association in 1957 with the Williamstown Festival Theatre in Massachusetts. Met actress/wife Katina Commings a year later while they were both interns there. Years later she appeared in the Broadway production of "The Runner Stumbles" which Austin directed.
Developed a stutter when young but it never affected his acting work. He didnt find a working cure for it until the 1980s.
In the 1970s he joined the Steppenwolf company as an actor and director. The company also produced a few of his plays.
Gave Philip Seymour Hoffman one of his first acting jobs at a New Jersey theatre company.
In the early 1990s, Austin inspired the then doorman of his building, Shane Perez , to try his hand at writing. Perez took his advice and began tooling a drama which he hoped Pendleton would one day star in. That dream became a reality when his script for Men of Means was eventually purchased and produced.
Is a Professor at the HB Acting studio in New York.
Was considered for the role of Fredo Corelone in The Godfather .
He was nominated for a 1976 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Director of a Play for "Misalliance", at the Academy Festival Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
He was nominated for a 1980 Joseph Jefferson Award for Director of a Play for "Say Goodnight, Gracie", at the Travel Light Productions Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
Joshua Schmidt , Jan Tranen and Austin Pendleton were awarded the 2009 Joseph Jefferson Award for New Work or Adaptation of Musical for "A Ministers Wife", at the Writers Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
He studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York City.
Appearing in the plays Love Song and The Sunset Limited at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.
(August 2006) Performing with Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline as the chaplain in the New York Shakespeare in the Park production of Bertolt Brecht s "Mother Courage and Her Children".
(September 2004) Performing in "The Lives of Bosie" as Lord Alfred Douglas at the Arts Bank in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(October 2007) Currently playing the part of Judge Danforth in the Steppenwolf Theatre (Chicago) production of The Crucible.
(August 2004) Performing in "The Lives of Bosie" as Lord Alfred Douglas at the Hedgerow Theatre in Media, Pennsylvania.
That was a very unhappy set, because Jim was very unhappy directing,that movie. And I noticed that was the only time the Muppet people used,an outside person to direct a Muppet movie. They never did that again.
(2009, on The Front Page (1974) ) That was wonderful.
But, of course, he did everything he could to sabotage those two weeks.
Everything about that experience was terrific.
Disney instructed him away from all of those. And that had such a great,cast, oh my God. It was fun to do. But I only got that job because of,Balaban.
