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Roger Ailes was “not rational”: Alexis Bloom on her new film about the Fox News founder

Dec 7 2018

Inner Demons Win in Horror Comedy at Kirk Theater

Jun 24 2010

Early life and education

Pendleton was born in Warren, Ohio, the son of Thorn Pendleton, who ran a tool company, and Frances (née Manchester) Pendleton, a professional actress. He graduated from the University School, a private all-boys school in Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1957. Roger Ailes, who became the CEO of Fox News, was a childhood acquaintance of Pendleton in Warren, Ohio. Ailes took acting classes taught by Pendleton's mother.²³

Pendleton became interested in the theater through his mother, whose performances he watched when he was young. In junior high school, he put on his own performances in the basement of the family home. He participated in theater while attending Yale University, from which he graduated in 1961.⁴⁵ He was a member of the Yale Dramatic Association, and in 1958 collaborated with lyricist Peter Bergman on two musical plays that starred Philip Proctor: Tom Jones and Booth Is Back In Town. Proctor and Bergman later formed half of The Firesign Theatre comedy group.⁶⁷

Career

After Yale, Pendleton moved to New York City and studied at HB Studio. He broke into the theater performing in the 1962 off-Broadway production of Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad, directed by Jerome Robbins.⁸

Robbins directed Fiddler on the Roof when it came to Broadway in 1964, and brought Pendleton into the opening-night cast, performing the role of Motel the tailor.⁹ Pendleton went on to appear in The Last Sweet Days of Isaac (for which he won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance and an Obie Award), The Diary of Anne Frank, Goodtime Charley, and Up from Paradise, and many other plays. In August 2006, he played the Chaplain in the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater production of Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children directed by George C. Wolfe at the Delacorte Theater. In 2007, he appeared as Friar Lawrence in The Public Theater's production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet at the Delacorte.¹⁰

Pendleton wrote the plays Uncle Bob, Booth, and Orson's Shadow, all of which were staged off-Broadway. Uncle Bob had its off-Broadway premiere in 2001 at The SoHo Playhouse, starring George Morfogen—for whom the role of Bob was written—and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, making his New York theatre debut. The critically acclaimed production was directed by Courtney Moorehead and produced by Steven Sendor.¹¹ As a director, Pendleton has worked extensively on and off Broadway.¹²¹³ His direction of Elizabeth Taylor and Maureen Stapleton in Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes garnered him a Tony Award nomination in 1981. Additional directing credits include The Runner Stumbles by Milan Stitt (1977),¹⁴ Spoils of War by Michael Weller (1988),¹⁵ and The Size of the World by Charles Evered (1996).¹⁶

Pendleton is also a member of The Mirror Theater Ltd's Mirror Repertory Company, directing the company's 1984 production of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts, starring Geraldine Page, Sabra Jones, and Victor Slezak.¹⁷ His play H6R3, a compilation of Henry VI and Richard III intended to make the story line clearer and strengthen the women's parts, became a benefit production of The Mirror Theater Ltd at the then Promenade Theater in New York. Pendleton played Richard in this performance, Sabra Jones performed Elizabeth, Lynn Redgrave played Mad Margaret, Charles McAteer was Lord Rutland, Geraint Wyn Davies played Henry VI, Daniel Gerroll played Buckingham, and Lisa Pelikan played Lady Anne.¹⁸

In 2009, Pendleton directed Uncle Vanya, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, at the Classic Stage Company. The same year he directed Tennessee Williams's Vieux Carré at The Pearl Theatre Company.¹⁹ In 2010, Pendleton directed two plays, Bus Stop at the Olney Theater and Golden Age at the Philadelphia Theatre Company. His 2011 directing of Three Sisters won him an Obie Award.²⁰ In 2012, he directed a production of Detroit at the National Theatre in London.²¹

Pendleton served as artistic director of the Circle Repertory Company with associate artistic director Lynne Thigpen. The company closed in 1996.²² He has taught acting at HB Studio since 1969,²³ and teaches directing at The New School.²⁴ Pendleton has been involved with Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre since directing Ralph Pape's Say Goodnight, Gracie for the 1979–80 season, and is an ensemble member there.²⁵ His acting credits at Steppenwolf include Uncle Vanya, Valparaiso, and Educating Rita.²⁶

In 2022, Pendleton reminisced that he was initially reluctant to join Steppenwolf, as the name bothered him and he was reluctant to move to Chicago. "But he ended up taking the gig and started auditioning the troupe—twelve relative unknowns. 'For one role, I had to choose between Laurie Metcalf and Joan Allen,' he said. A second role went to a guy named John Malkovich."²⁷

Pendleton was the subject of Starring Austin Pendleton, a 2016 documentary in which colleagues including Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Olympia Dukakis, and Ethan Hawke discuss his life and legacy.²⁸

As a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Pendleton starred in Tracy Letts's play The Minutes on Broadway.²⁹

In the fall of 2022, Pendleton directed a Broadway production of Between Riverside and Crazy, which he directed Off Broadway in 2014.³⁰

Personal life

Pendleton has been married to actress Katina Commings since November 1970. They have one child.³¹³²

Theatre

Filmography

Film

Television

Audio dramas

• 2021–2022: Around the Sun – Harry – 3 episodes

External links

• Austin Pendleton at the Internet Broadway Database
• Austin Pendleton at IMDb
• Austin Pendleton at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Austin Pendleton at the TCM Movie Database
• Austin Pendleton Talks about Stuttering and Acting
• "St. Louis Actors' Studio to host class with Austin Pendleton". St. Louis Post Dispatch. August 30, 2013.

References

1. Mayer, John (August 11, 2016). Steppenwolf Theatre Company of Chicago: In Their Own Words. Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-1-4742-3947-9. 978-1-4742-3947-9 ↩

2. [1] Wilkinson, Alissa. "Roger Ailes was 'not rational': Alexis Bloom on her new film about the Fox News Founder; 'His first loyalty was to the audience, to manufacturing outrage, to weaponizing division.'" Vox. Dec 11, 2018. http://www.vox.com/culture/2018/12/7/18129324/roger-ailes-divide-conquer-fox-news-alexis-bloom-interview ↩

3. [2] PBS, American Masters. "Austin Penndleton Interview". July 17, 2006. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/archive/interview/austin-pendleton-3/ ↩

4. Condit, Susan (December 5, 2001). "The Pendleton Touch (continuation)". Daily Hampshire Gazette. p. 20. Retrieved January 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115710418/the-pendleton-touch-2001-continuation/ ↩

5. Austin Pendelton to Teach "Directing for the Stage" This Spring https://hbstudio.org/austin-pendleton-teach-directing-stage-spring/ ↩

6. "Who Am Us, Anyway? Peter Bergman". Firesign Media. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2017. http://firesigntheatre.com/media/media.php?member=Bergman ↩

7. Proctor, Philip. Bride of Firesign. Firesign Media (liner notes). Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2017. http://www.firesigntheatre.com/media/media.php?item=bof-ln ↩

8. Condit, Susan (December 5, 2001). "The Pendleton Touch (continuation)". Daily Hampshire Gazette. p. 20. Retrieved January 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115710418/the-pendleton-touch-2001-continuation/ ↩

9. Condit, Susan (December 5, 2001). "The Pendleton Touch (continuation)". Daily Hampshire Gazette. p. 20. Retrieved January 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115710418/the-pendleton-touch-2001-continuation/ ↩

10. Brantley, Ben. "Rash and Unadvis’d in Verona Seeks Same". New York Times. June 25, 2007. ↩

11. [3] "Austin Pendleton Oral History Interview". Harry Ransom Center. University of Texas at Austin. http://hrc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15878coll117/id/16 ↩

12. "Austin Pendleton Theatre Credits". Broadway World. Retrieved January 13, 2017. http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Austin-Pendleton/ ↩

13. Rothstein, Mervyn (July 3, 2011). "A LIFE IN THE THEATRE: Actor-Writer-Director Austin Pendleton". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/article/a-life-in-the-theatre-actor-writer-director-austin-pendleton-com-180571 ↩

14. "Austin Pendleton: Director Performer". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved November 7, 2017. http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=55862 ↩

15. "Austin Pendleton: Director Performer". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved November 7, 2017. http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=55862 ↩

16. Brantley, Ben (March 21, 1996). "Theater Review. So Chipper, So Smiley, So Upbeat, but Why?". The New York Times. Retrieved August 1, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/21/theater/theater-review-so-chipper-so-smiley-so-upbeat-but-why.html ↩

17. Bennetts, Leslie (June 26, 1984). "Repertory Company Blossoms". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/27/theater/repertory-company-blossoms.html ↩

18. Simonson, Robert (January 21, 2016). "Mirror Rep Presents HGRS, Pendleton's Bard With a Bonus Conflation". Playbill. Retrieved November 7, 2017. /wiki/Robert_Simonson ↩

19. Hetrick, Adam (May 12, 2009). "Pearl's Vieux Carré Begins Previews Off-Broadway May 12". Playbill. Retrieved May 26, 2023. https://www.playbill.com/article/pearls-vieux-carre-begins-previews-off-broadway-may-12-com-160797 ↩

20. Furlan, Julia (March 17, 2011). "And the Obie Award Goes To..." WNYC. Retrieved January 13, 2017. http://www.wnyc.org/story/135339-56th-annual-obie-awards-announced/ ↩

21. "Detroit". Time Out London. May 16, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2017. http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/event/253787/detroit ↩

22. Lefkowitz, David (October 8, 1996). "NY's Circle Rep, Home of Lanford Wilson, Closes After 27 Years". Playbill. Retrieved May 26, 2023. https://www.playbill.com/article/nys-circle-rep-home-of-lanford-wilson-closes-after-27-years-com-68508 ↩

23. "Austin Pendleton". HB Studios. Retrieved January 13, 2017. http://hbstudio.org/instructors/pendleton-austin/ ↩

24. "Austin Pendleton". HB Studios. Retrieved January 13, 2017. http://hbstudio.org/instructors/pendleton-austin/ ↩

25. "Austin Pendleton". Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Retrieved January 13, 2017. https://www.steppenwolf.org/ensemble/member-pages/austin--pendleton/ ↩

26. Steppenwolf on line. Austin Penndleton Biography. http://www.steppenwolf.org/ensemble/member-pages/austin--pendleton/ ↩

27. Alford, Henry (May 14, 2022). "Austin Pendleton Is Still on Broadway, Still a Babe Magnet". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 3, 2023. /wiki/Henry_Alford_(writer) ↩

28. Gallerano, Gene; Holmes, David H. (June 19, 2016), Starring Austin Pendleton (Documentary, Short, Biography, Comedy, Drama), Emily Althaus, Kevin Anderson, Lyndsey Anderson, Kate Arrington, 4 Hawk, Defendshee Productions, Neboya Collective, retrieved September 26, 2020 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1700282/ ↩

29. "The Minutes - Creative". The Minutes. Retrieved April 3, 2022. https://theminutesbroadway.com/cast-creative/ ↩

30. Alford, Henry (May 14, 2022). "Austin Pendleton Is Still on Broadway, Still a Babe Magnet". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 3, 2023. /wiki/Henry_Alford_(writer) ↩

31. Alford, Henry (May 14, 2022). "Austin Pendleton Is Still on Broadway, Still a Babe Magnet". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 3, 2023. /wiki/Henry_Alford_(writer) ↩

32. Bass, Milton R. (July 30, 1981). "The Lively World". The Berkshire Eagle. p. 10. Retrieved January 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115709226/austin-pendleton-interview-in-berkshire/ ↩

33. Rooney, David (June 24, 2010). "Sometimes That Inner Demon Just Needs to Win". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/theater/reviews/25order.html ↩

34. "Starring Austin Pendleton". Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved January 6, 2017. https://tribecafilm.com/filmguide/starring-austin-pendleton-2016 ↩