Lang Thompson requests:
> Can anybody recommend a book on the history of acting? After reading a
> bunch of material on Welles lately I wanted to follow up his references to
> older styles and approaches but can't find anything. All the books in our
> library are either how-to, specific topics or acting theory (and not even a
> history of acting theories). Even if this is part of a general history of
> theatrical performance that would work but even the closest to that I found
> were textbooks that looked pretty tedious.
The second chapter in James Naremore's ACTING IN THE CINEMA gives at
least a brief overview of the contrasts and shifts of theatrical and
cinematic acting styles. Sir John Hamilton's THE ACTOR'S ART contains
a number of essays by actors from 1871 to 1949 that might be useful.
Also see Toby Cole's ACTORS ON ACTING. Garff Wilson's A HISTORY OF
AMERICAN ACTING might also be helpful.
Don Larsson
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Donald F. Larsson, English Department, AH 230
Minnesota State University
Mankato, MN 56001
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