Joseph Anthony
Encyclopedia
Joseph Anthony was an American
playwright
, actor, and director. He made his film acting debut in the 1934 film Hat, Coat, and Glove and his theatrical acting debut in a 1935 production of Mary of Scotland. On five occasions he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction.
on May 24, 1912. His parents were Leonard Deuster and Sophie Deuster (née Hertz). Anthony attended the University of Wisconsin. He married Perry Wilson. He prepared for the stage at the Pasadena Playhouse
from 1931 through 1935 and at the Daykarhanova School from 1935 through 1937. Anthony served in the United States Army
in World War II
from 1942 through 1946. On January 20, 1993, Joseph Anthony died at the age of 80 in a nursing home in Hyannis, Massachusetts
.
appearance two years later with the Federal Theatre Project
Company playing the title role in a production of Professor Mamlock
at Daly's 63rd Street Theatre
. After returning from service in World War II, Anthony reappeared on Broadway under the name Joseph Adams at the Belasco Theatre
as the Second Man in a 1946 production of Truckline Cafe
. He first performed under the name Joseph Anthony in January 1948 at the Maxine Elliott Theatre
in a production of Skipper Next to God. He continued to perform under this name through the 1950s, appearing in such original Broadway theatre
productions as "The Country Girl", 1951, at the Lyceum Theatre, NYC, Flight into Egypt in 1952, Camino Real
in 1953, and Anastasia in 1954.
Joseph Anthony made his New York City directorial debut in April 1948 directing a production of Celebration at the Maxine Elliott Theatre. In 1954, Anthony directed the original production of The Rainmaker
, a play of which he would later direct the film adaptation. From March 1960 through March 1961, Anthony successfully opened the original Broadway productions of four shows which ran simultaneously: The Best Man
at the Morosco Theatre
, Under the Yum Yum Tree
at Henry Miller's Theatre
, Rhinoceros
at the Longacre Theatre
, and Mary, Mary
at the Helen Hayes Theatre
. Mary, Mary was Anthony's longest-running production, lasting nearly four years and more than 1500 performances. Anthony also directed several other original Broadway productions, including Romulus in 1962, Slow Dance on the Killing Ground in 1964, and the notoriously unsuccessful Breakfast at Tiffany's
in 1966.
in 1935, Shadow of the Thin Man
in 1941, and Joe Smith, American in 1942. Anthony's first film direction was the 1956 film adaptation
of The Rainmaker
, a play he also directed. Anthony also directed such films as The Matchmaker
in 1958, Career
in 1959, All in a Night's Work
in 1961, and Tomorrow
in 1972.
s throughout his career, though he never won. In 1956, Anthony was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Director for The Lark. The following year he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction for A Clearing in the Woods and for The Most Happy Fella
. After the Direction category was split into plays and musicals, Anthony was twice nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play
: in 1960 for The Best Man and in 1961 for Rhinoceros]. Finally, in 1964, Anthony was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical
for 110 in the Shade
.
Joseph Anthony taught at the American Theatre Wing
, Vassar College
, Hunter College
, and at New York University
. In 1937, Anthony became one of the founding members of American Actors Company. In 1976, Anthony became a Professor of Theatre Arts at the State University of New York at Purchase
. He was also a member of the Actors Studio
, a council member of the Actors' Equity Association
, a board member of what was then known as the Screen Directors Guild, and the first President of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, actor, and director. He made his film acting debut in the 1934 film Hat, Coat, and Glove and his theatrical acting debut in a 1935 production of Mary of Scotland. On five occasions he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction.
Biography
Joseph Anthony was born as Joseph Deuster in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
on May 24, 1912. His parents were Leonard Deuster and Sophie Deuster (née Hertz). Anthony attended the University of Wisconsin. He married Perry Wilson. He prepared for the stage at the Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engagements each year.-History:...
from 1931 through 1935 and at the Daykarhanova School from 1935 through 1937. Anthony served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
from 1942 through 1946. On January 20, 1993, Joseph Anthony died at the age of 80 in a nursing home in Hyannis, Massachusetts
Hyannis, Massachusetts
Hyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
.
Stage work
Joseph Anthony, then appearing under his given name of Joseph Deuster, made his professional acting debut in 1935 playing the role of Rizzio in a production of Mary of Scotland In 1937 he appeared in the touring production of "Dead End". He went on to make his first 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...
appearance two years later with the Federal Theatre Project
Federal Theatre Project
The Federal Theatre Project was a New Deal project to fund theatre and other live artistic performances in the United States during the Great Depression. It was one of five Federal One projects sponsored by the Works Progress Administration...
Company playing the title role in a production of Professor Mamlock
Professor Mamlock (play)
This article is about the play. For the film by Herbert Rappaport, see Professor Mamlock . For the film by Konrad Wolf, see Professor Mamlock .Professor Mamlock is a theater play written by Friedrich Wolf at 1933...
at Daly's 63rd Street Theatre
Daly's 63rd Street Theatre
Daly's 63rd Street Theatre was a Broadway theater, which was active from 1921 to 1941. It was built in 1914 as the 63rd Street Music Hall and had several other names between 1921 and 1938. The building was demolished in 1957.-History:...
. After returning from service in World War II, Anthony reappeared on Broadway under the name Joseph Adams at the Belasco Theatre
Belasco Theatre
The Belasco Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 111 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan.-History:Designed by architect George Keister for impresario David Belasco, the interior featured Tiffany lighting and ceiling panels, rich woodwork and expansive murals by American artist...
as the Second Man in a 1946 production of Truckline Cafe
Truckline Cafe
Truckline Cafe was the title of a 1946 Broadway play written by Maxwell Anderson, directed by Harold Clurman, produced by Elia Kazan, and starring Marlon Brando and Karl Malden...
. He first performed under the name Joseph Anthony in January 1948 at the Maxine Elliott Theatre
Maxine Elliott Theatre
The Maxine Elliott Theatre was a Broadway theater located at 109 West 39th Street in New York City. Built in 1908, it was demolished in 1960. The theater was designed by architect Benjamin Marshall of the Chicago firm Marshall and Fox....
in a production of Skipper Next to God. He continued to perform under this name through the 1950s, appearing in such original Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
productions as "The Country Girl", 1951, at the Lyceum Theatre, NYC, Flight into Egypt in 1952, Camino Real
Camino Real (play)
Camino Real is a 1953 play by Tennessee Williams. In the introduction to the Penguin edition of the play, Williams directs the reader to use the Anglicized pronunciation "Cá-mino Réal." The play takes its title from its setting, alluded to El Camino Real, a dead-end place in a Spanish-speaking town...
in 1953, and Anastasia in 1954.
Joseph Anthony made his New York City directorial debut in April 1948 directing a production of Celebration at the Maxine Elliott Theatre. In 1954, Anthony directed the original production of The Rainmaker
The Rainmaker (play)
The Rainmaker is a play written by N. Richard Nash in the early 1950s. The play opened on October 28, 1954 at the Cort Theatre in New York and ran for 125 performances. It was directed by Joseph Anthony and produced by Ethel Linder Reiner....
, a play of which he would later direct the film adaptation. From March 1960 through March 1961, Anthony successfully opened the original Broadway productions of four shows which ran simultaneously: The Best Man
The Best Man (play)
The Best Man is a 1960 play by American playwright Gore Vidal. The play premiered on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre on March 31, 1960, and ran for 520 performances before closing on July 8, 1961.Vidal adapted it into a film with the same title in 1964....
at the Morosco Theatre
Morosco Theatre
The Morosco Theatre was a legitimate theatre located at 217 West 45th Street in the heart of the theater district in midtown-Manhattan, New York, United States....
, Under the Yum Yum Tree
Under the Yum Yum Tree
Under the Yum Yum Tree is a 1963 comedy movie that stars Jack Lemmon, Carol Lynley, Paul Lynde, Dean Jones and Edie Adams.This sex comedy was one of the successful small comic movies that Lemmon despised making . It first ran on Broadway in 1960-1961.-Plot:Jack Lemmon stars as the playboy landlord...
at Henry Miller's Theatre
Henry Miller's Theatre
The Stephen Sondheim Theatre, formerly Henry Miller's Theatre, is a Broadway theatre located at 124 West 43rd Street, between Broadway and 6th Avenue, in Manhattan's Theatre District.-History:...
, Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros (play)
Rhinoceros is a play by Eugène Ionesco, written in 1959. The play belongs to the school of drama known as the Theatre of the Absurd...
at the Longacre Theatre
Longacre Theatre
The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 220 West 48th Street in midtown Manhattan.-Theatre History:Designed by architect Henry Beaumont Herts in 1912, it was named for Longacre Square, the original name for Times Square...
, and Mary, Mary
Mary, Mary (play)
Mary, Mary is a play by Jean Kerr. The play became one of the longest-running productions of the decade. After two previews, the Broadway production opened on March 8, 1961 at the original Helen Hayes Theatre , where it ran for nearly three years and nine months before transferring to the Morosco...
at the Helen Hayes Theatre
Helen Hayes Theatre
Helen Hayes Theatre with 597 seats is the smallest Broadway theatre and is located at 240 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan....
. Mary, Mary was Anthony's longest-running production, lasting nearly four years and more than 1500 performances. Anthony also directed several other original Broadway productions, including Romulus in 1962, Slow Dance on the Killing Ground in 1964, and the notoriously unsuccessful Breakfast at Tiffany's
Breakfast at Tiffany's (musical)
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a legendary flop in Broadway musical history. The musical is based on the Truman Capote novella and 1961 film of the same name about a free spirit named Holly Golightly...
in 1966.
Film work
Joseph Anthony first major film appearance was in Hat, Coat, and Glove in 1934. He went on to appear in SheShe (1935 film)
She is a 1935 film produced by Merian C. Cooper. The film is based on H. Rider Haggard's novel of the same name. It stars Helen Gahagan, Randolph Scott and Nigel Bruce, with music by Max Steiner...
in 1935, Shadow of the Thin Man
Shadow of the Thin Man
Shadow of the Thin Man is the fourth of the six The Thin Man films. It was released in 1941 and was directed by W. S. Van Dyke. It stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. Also, in this film their son Nick Jr. is old enough to figure in the comic subplot...
in 1941, and Joe Smith, American in 1942. Anthony's first film direction was the 1956 film adaptation
The Rainmaker (1956 film)
The Rainmaker is a 1956 film directed by Joseph Anthony and adapted by N. Richard Nash from his play The Rainmaker. The film tells the story of a middle-aged woman, suffering from unrequited love for the local town sheriff; however, she falls for a con man who comes to town with the promise that he...
of The Rainmaker
The Rainmaker (play)
The Rainmaker is a play written by N. Richard Nash in the early 1950s. The play opened on October 28, 1954 at the Cort Theatre in New York and ran for 125 performances. It was directed by Joseph Anthony and produced by Ethel Linder Reiner....
, a play he also directed. Anthony also directed such films as The Matchmaker
The Matchmaker (film)
The Matchmaker is a 1958 American comedy film directed by Joseph Anthony. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes is based on the 1955 play of the same name by Thornton Wilder.-Plot:...
in 1958, Career
Career (1959 film)
Career is a 1959 blacklist film drama co-written by Dalton Trumbo and starring Dean Martin, Tony Franciosa, and Shirley MacLaine. The movie involves actor Sam Lawson , bent on breaking into the big time at any cost, braving World War II, the Korean War and even the more recent blacklist, something...
in 1959, All in a Night's Work
All in a Night's Work (film)
All in a Night's Work is a 1961 romantic screwball comedy starring Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine, and directed by Joseph Anthony.-Plot:Tony Ryder's uncle, the wealthy owner of a newspaper, has just died...
in 1961, and Tomorrow
Tomorrow (1972 film)
Tomorrow is 1972 film directed by Joseph Anthony. The screenplay was written by Horton Foote, adapted from a play he wrote which was based on a story by William Faulkner...
in 1972.
Awards and affiliations
Joseph Anthony was nominated for a total of five directorial Tony AwardTony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
s throughout his career, though he never won. In 1956, Anthony was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Director for The Lark. The following year he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction for A Clearing in the Woods and for The Most Happy Fella
The Most Happy Fella
The Most Happy Fella is a 1956 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The story, about a romance between an older man and younger woman, is based on the play They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard...
. After the Direction category was split into plays and musicals, Anthony was twice nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play
Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play
The Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play has been given since 1960. Before 1960 there was only one award for both play direction and musical direction, then in 1960 the award was split into two categories: Dramatic and Musical. In 1976 the Dramatic category was renamed to Play...
: in 1960 for The Best Man and in 1961 for Rhinoceros]. Finally, in 1964, Anthony was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical
Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical
This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Prior to 1960, category for direction included plays and musicals.-1950s:Note: this category was for both dramatic and musical productions...
for 110 in the Shade
110 in the Shade
110 in the Shade is a musical with a book by N. Richard Nash, lyrics by Tom Jones, and music by Harvey Schmidt.Based on Nash's 1954 play The Rainmaker, it focuses on Lizzie Curry, a spinster living on a ranch in the American southwest, and her relationships with local sheriff File, a cautious...
.
Joseph Anthony taught at the American Theatre Wing
American Theatre Wing
The American Theatre Wing is a New York City-based organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre," according to its mission statement...
, Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
, Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
, and at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. In 1937, Anthony became one of the founding members of American Actors Company. In 1976, Anthony became a Professor of Theatre Arts at the State University of New York at Purchase
State University of New York at Purchase
Purchase College, State University of New York, is a public four-year college located in Purchase, New York, United States. It is one of 13 comprehensive colleges in the State University of New York system...
. He was also a member of the Actors Studio
Actors Studio
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street in the Clinton neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded October 5, 1947, by Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford, Robert Lewis and Anna Sokolow who provided...
, a council member of the Actors' Equity Association
Actors' Equity Association
The Actors' Equity Association , commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing the world of live theatrical performance, as opposed to film and television performance. However, performers appearing on live stage productions without a book or...
, a board member of what was then known as the Screen Directors Guild, and the first President of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers
Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society , formerly known as Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers , is an independent national labor union established in 1959, representing theatrical directors and choreographers, working on Broadway and on National tours, Off-Broadway, and in...
.