Bio of the Great American Actress Stella Adler

This American actress was born in New York City on February 10, 1901.Her parents, Jacob P. Adler and Sara Adler were both very involved in Yiddish American theatre.In the early twentieth century, the Adlers' Company was credited for the success of Yiddish American theatre.In this theatrically talented family, each of the siblings were actors.

Stella Adler made her first appearance on stage in 1906 in "Broken Hearts" at the Grand Street Theatre in New York.In 1907, she played the role of a prince in "Richard III", which was the first male role in her acting career.By 1919, she had a role in "Elisha Ben Avia" at the Pavillion Theatre in London.

At this point, Stella Adler enrolled in American Laboratory Theatre, where she played the lead role in "The Big Lake" by Lynn Riggs, as well as a part in "Much Ado About Nothing".She became involved in Irving Place Theatre Productions, where she worked with Yiddish actor Jacob Ben Ami.

Following a tour of western Europe and Latin America, she returned to New York, starring in "The God of Vengance", "Liliem", "Jew Suss", "The Lower Depths", and "The Witch of Castile".At this time, she joined The Group Theatre, where she performed on Broadway in 1931 in "The House of Connelly", followed by "Success Story".Her final production with The Group Theatre was "Paradise Lost" in December of 1935.

After appearing in several motion pictures, Stella Adler eventually returned to The Group Theatre as a director.She retuned to Broadway as an actress and director, only to become a teacher as well.She founded in 1949 the Stella Adler Theatre School, where she taught aspiring actors the theatrical arts that she had devoted her entire life to.