Joseph Chaikin was born on September 16, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Viet Rock (1966), Savage/Love (2020) and Camera Three (1955). He died on June 22, 2003 in New York City, New York, USA.
Born in New York City, but raised in Des Moines, Iowa.
Founder of the avant-garde Open Theater, when opened in New York in
1963 and closed in 1973.
A guest director/teacher at Columbia University's School of Theater
Arts in the last 60s. He was one of the first American directors to
incorporate the Polish techniques of the great Polish director
Grotowski (sp?) which discovered character through the disciplines of
sound and movement. He was an inspiring and innovative soul who
influenced all of the actors he worked with.
He was awarded the 1980 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Performance for "Tongues," at the Mark Taper Forum Lab Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
Was one of the prime movers of off-off-Broadway in the Sixties, when following his acting work with the Living Theatre he started and for several years directed the Open Theatre.