Alan Mandell facts for kids

Alan Mandell was born Albert Mandell on December 27, 1927. He is a Canadian-American actor. He is well-known for playing Rabbi Marshak in the 2009 movie A Serious Man, made by the Coen Brothers. Alan Mandell has acted on stage for many decades. He is especially praised for his performances in plays by Samuel Beckett.

Alan Mandell's Life and Career

Albert Mandell was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1927. His family was Jewish. He started acting on stage in both Canada and the United States. In the 1950s, he became a respected actor in the theater scene in San Francisco. In 1968, he officially changed his name to Alan. He did this to avoid being confused with another person who had a similar name.

Working with Samuel Beckett

Alan Mandell's connection with the famous playwright Samuel Beckett began in 1957. He acted in a play called Waiting for Godot at the San Francisco Actor's Workshop. Later, he played the character Lucky in another production of Godot. This particular show was directed by Samuel Beckett himself!

Other Notable Stage Roles

Besides Beckett's plays, Mandell has acted in many other important productions. He was in Harold Pinter's play No Man's Land. He also performed in The Price by Arthur Miller. In 2007, he played Juror #9 in a Los Angeles show of Twelve Angry Men. This play was directed by Scott Ellis and featured actors like Richard Thomas and George Wendt.

Alan Mandell in Movies and TV

Alan Mandell has appeared in several movies and television shows. His most famous movie role was Rabbi Marshak in the 2009 film A Serious Man. He has also had roles in other films such as Shortbus (2006) and Velvet Buzzsaw (2019). On television, he has been in popular shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Six Million Dollar Man.