Biography
Al was born in Chicago, and received three degrees in Theatre Arts: Loyola University of Chicago (BA), University of Kansas (MA), and University of Minnesota (PH.D.).
Joined Actors' Equity at age of 20, working with Charlton Heston, Bert Lahr, and Barbra Britton at The Hinsdale Summer Theatre. Has acted in over 200 professional productions, and has directed over 100 others.
Notable stage and film performances have been with many major actors including Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Zoe Caldwell,Linda Darnell, Jack Carson, Margaret O'Brien, Joan Van Ark, Marge Champion, Wendell Corey, Leo G. Carroll,Lillian Roth,Dean Martin, Donald Pleasance, Lynn Redgrave, Wayne Rogers,Alan Alda, Mike Farrell, Blair Underwood, Delroy Lindo, Danny Glover, Sean Cassidy, Paul Winfield, John Ritter, Karen Morrow, John Kerr, Walter Abel,Nina Foch, Tony Plana, Diana Canova, Cindy Williams, Ed Asner, Hugh O'Brien, Tyne Daley, and Steve Allen, among many others.
He has been directed by and/or studied with Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Harold Clurman, Kristin Linklater, Douglas Campbell, Martin Esslin, Gordon Davidson, Bill Bushnell,Ron Sossi,Carlo Mazzone-Clementi, John Hough, Roger Rees,and Ray Danton, among others.
He is a published author of two books about his most influential mentor, Tyrone Guthrie: Minneapolis Rehearsals: Tyrone Guthrie Directs Hamlet, which chronicles the rehearsals of the premiere production of The Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, and Astonish Us in the Morning: Tyrone Guthrie Remembered, which is a series of interviews with many distinguished actors and others who worked with Sir Tyrone. Some of them are Lord Laurence Olivier, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Alec Guinness, Dame Sybil Thorndike, Sir Alec McCowen, Sir Anthony Quayle,Sir Robert Morley, Sir John Mills, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Stella Adler,Tanya Moiseiwitsch,Coral Browne, Paul Rogers, Arthur Hill, George Grizzard, and Len Cariou.
Al is the Head of Acting at LACC's Theatre Academy in Hollywood: the oldest continuous professional training program West of the Mississippi.
