Sanford Meisner

Sanford Meisner
Born(1905-08-31)August 31, 1905
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
DiedFebruary 2, 1997(1997-02-02) (aged 91)
Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesSandy
Occupations
  • Actor
  • acting teacher
Years active1924–1997
Spouses
  • Peggy Meredith
    (m. 1948; div. 1950)
  • Betty Gooch (divorced)
PartnerJames Carville

Sanford Meisner (August 31, 1905 – February 2, 1997) was an American actor and acting teacher who developed an approach to acting instruction that is now known as the Meisner technique. While Meisner was exposed to method acting at the Group Theatre, his approach differed markedly in that he completely abandoned the use of affective memory, a distinct characteristic of method acting. Meisner maintained an emphasis on "the reality of doing", which was the foundation of his approach.