Lee Strasberg (born
Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901February 17, 1982) was an
American actor, director and acting teacher born in a part of
Galicia,
Austrian Poland in what is now
Ukraine. He co-founded, with directors
Harold Clurman and
Cheryl Crawford, the
Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed as "America's first true theatrical
collective". In 1951, he became director of the non-profit
Actors Studio, in
New York City, considered "the nation's most prestigious acting school", and in 1966, was involved in the creation of
Actors Studio West in
Los Angeles.