Lee Strasberg, who played mob financier Hyman Roth in the 1974 film The Godfather Part II, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The award, however, went to Robert De Niro, who played the young Vito Corleone in the same film. Strasberg's performance is regarded as one of the most unforgettable supporting turns in cinema history.
Actor Martin Landau stated that Strasberg was extremely demanding and rigorous as an acting teacher. According to Landau, Strasberg's insistence that actors deliver perfect performances was always right. This disciplined approach had a significant impact on his students' careers.
Lee Strasberg served as the chief teacher and director of the Actors Studio for more than thirty years. During that time he trained giants of American cinema such as Al Pacino, Ben Gazzara, Martin Landau, Eli Wallach and Ellen Burstyn. He never taught Marlon Brando, however, the man who made 'method' acting famous; Brando worked with Stella Adler. Even so, Brando supported the Studio and regularly attended its classes.
On 13 February 1982, the Night of 100 Stars charity event held at Radio City Music Hall in New York became both Lee Strasberg's last film appearance and his last public appearance. At the event, he danced in the chorus line alongside his students Al Pacino and Robert De Niro and the world-famous Radio City Rockettes dance troupe. The moment was a poignant finale to Strasberg's artistic life.
Lee Strasberg emigrated to the United States with his family in 1909, when he was only seven years old. He did not become an American citizen until 1936, however. This emigration marked the beginning of his extraordinary career in theatre and cinema.
In her will, Marilyn Monroe left Lee Strasberg full control over 75% of her estate, in gratitude for the guidance and kindness he showed her both before and after she became a star. That control also covered the licensing of Monroe's image. Today, Strasberg's widow Anna Strasberg manages this combined legacy and earns millions of dollars a year in licensing revenue from advertisers' use of Monroe's image.
Lee Strasberg and his student Al Pacino appeared in two films together: the 1974 production The Godfather Part II and the 1979 production And Justice for All. These two films are regarded as one of the finest examples of a master-apprentice relationship on screen.
By playing the Jewish gangster Hyman Roth in The Godfather Part II, Lee Strasberg delivered one of the rare instances of a Jewish actor playing a Jewish gangster. Jewish actors such as James Caan, Abe Vigoda and Eli Wallach had previously portrayed Italian mafia figures, while the Italian actor Alex Rocco played a Jewish mafia character. Strasberg's casting is seen as a step that broke the conventions of the era.
Because of his strong ties to New York City, Lee Strasberg was one of the most unusual figures honoured on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star was unveiled on 27 November 1977 at 6757 Hollywood Boulevard. The honour is regarded as a reflection of his contributions to the world of cinema.
When Lee Strasberg died on 17 February 1982, he left an estate worth 1.5 million dollars, not counting the 75% share of Marilyn Monroe's estate. This estate was an indication of the material gain he achieved over his artistic life.
Lee Strasberg was buried in Westchester Hills Cemetery, located in the village of Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester County, about 20 miles north of New York City. There he lies in the same plot as his second wife, Paula Strasberg, who died in 1966 at the age of about 57. Westchester Hills is a Jewish cemetery where many famous entertainment and performing arts figures are also buried.
Lee Strasberg had four children: John Strasberg and Susan Strasberg with his second wife, Paula Strasberg; and Adam Strasberg and David Lee Strasberg with his third and last wife, Anna Strasberg. Some of his children followed in their father's footsteps and built careers in the arts.
Lee Strasberg's eldest son, John Strasberg, teaches at the Actors Studio in Manhattan, as his father did. He is not, however, the general manager or director as Lee was. Lee's roles as general manager and director at the Actors Studio are today filled by six people. Ellen Burstyn, Harvey Keitel and Al Pacino serve as co-presidents of the studio in both Manhattan and West Hollywood.
On 27-28 October 1999, the Christie's auction house sold a large portion of Marilyn Monroe's personal belongings at auction. In her will, Monroe had wished for Strasberg to distribute these items among her friends and colleagues. Strasberg largely failed to carry out this distribution, however, and upon his death ownership of the items passed to his last wife, Anna Strasberg, who had never met Monroe. The auction was a major event for Monroe's fans and collectors.
Lee Strasberg was born the son of an innkeeper. These modest origins formed the foundation of his perseverance and determination in his artistic life.
For the role of Hyman Roth in The Godfather Part II, Strasberg's Group Theatre colleague and the famous director Elia Kazan was initially considered. The role was ultimately given to Strasberg, however. The choice marked the beginning of one of the most important actor-director collaborations in cinema history.
Lee Strasberg appeared alongside his wife Paula Strasberg and their children John and Susan Strasberg in an online exhibition created by Italian actor Giovanni Morassutti in 2020 on the Google Arts & Culture platform. The exhibition presents the Strasberg family's contributions to the art world to visitors in digital form.
Lee Strasberg's biography appears on pages 766-768 of the first volume (1981-1985) of the encyclopedia 'The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives'. The work was published in New York in 1998 by Charles Scribner's Sons and documents the lives of important figures who left their mark on American cultural history.
Lee Strasberg failed to establish a good working relationship with actress Stella Adler, a fellow member of the Group Theatre. They had major disagreements over Stanislavski's teachings, and in the end each developed their own acting system. While Adler focused on imagination, Strasberg concentrated on emotional memory. This split became an important turning point in the history of American theatre.
In the production 'She-Wolf in Hollywood: The Story of Maria Ouspenskaya' (2024), Lee Strasberg is mentioned as one of the famous actress Maria Ouspenskaya's students. The film deals with Ouspenskaya's life in Hollywood and her influence on her students.