Austin Pendleton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Austin Pendleton
Pendleton in 2006
Born	Austin Campbell Pendleton (1940-03-27) March 27, 1940 (age 85) Warren, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	Yale University, 1961
Occupation	Actor playwright theatre director
Years active	1962–present
Spouse(s)	Katina Commings ​ (m. 1970)​
Children	1

Austin Campbell Pendleton (born March 27, 1940) is an American actor, playwright (someone who writes plays), theatre director, and teacher. He has had a long career, lasting over sixty years!

Austin Pendleton is famous for playing many different kinds of characters in movies and on stage. Some of his well-known movies include Catch-22 (1970), What's Up, Doc? (1972), The Muppet Movie (1979), Short Circuit (1986), My Cousin Vinny (1992), Amistad (1997), A Beautiful Mind (2001), and Finding Nemo (2003). For A Beautiful Mind, he was nominated for a special award with the rest of the cast.

He has also won many awards for his work in theatre. He was nominated for a Tony Award (a top award for Broadway shows) in 1981 for directing the play The Little Foxes. He also won Obie and Drama Desk Awards for his acting and directing in Off-Broadway plays. In 2007, he received a special Drama Desk Award for being a "Renaissance Man of the American Theatre," which means he's talented in many different areas of theatre.

Early life and education

Austin Pendleton was born in Warren, Ohio. His dad, Thorn Pendleton, ran a tool company. His mom, Frances Pendleton, was an actress. He went to an all-boys school called University School in Ohio.

He later went to Yale University and graduated in 1961. While at Yale, he helped write two musical plays with his friend Peter Bergman.

Career in theatre and film

After college, Austin Pendleton moved to New York City to become an actor. He started in a play called Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad in 1962.

He then joined the original Broadway cast of Fiddler on the Roof in 1964, playing the role of Motel the tailor. He acted in many other plays, including The Diary of Anne Frank. He also played the Chaplain in Mother Courage and Her Children and Friar Lawrence in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Pendleton is also a talented writer. He wrote plays like Uncle Bob, Booth, and Orson's Shadow. These plays were performed Off-Broadway (smaller theatres than Broadway).

As a director, he has led many plays on and Off-Broadway. His direction of The Little Foxes earned him a Tony Award nomination. He also directed Uncle Vanya and Three Sisters, for which he won another Obie Award. In 2012, he directed a play called Detroit in London.

Austin Pendleton has taught acting at HB Studio since 1969. He also teaches directing at The New School. He is part of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, where he has acted and directed. He helped choose famous actors like Laurie Metcalf, Joan Allen, and John Malkovich for roles early in their careers.

In 2016, a documentary film called Starring Austin Pendleton was made about his life. Famous actors like Meryl Streep and Ethan Hawke talked about how much they admire him.

Recently, he acted in the Broadway play The Minutes in 2022. He also directed the Broadway show Between Riverside and Crazy in 2022, after directing it Off-Broadway in 2014.

Personal life

Austin Pendleton has been married to actress Katina Commings since November 1970. They have one child together.

Work

Austin Pendleton has had a very busy career as an actor, director, and writer. Here are some of his notable works:

Theatre highlights

• 1964: Fiddler on the Roof (Broadway) - Played Motel the tailor.
• 1970: The Last Sweet Days of Isaac (Off-Broadway) - Won an Obie Award for acting.
• 1981: The Little Foxes (Broadway) - Director, nominated for a Tony Award.
• 1987: Educating Rita (Off-Broadway) - Played Frank.
• 1997: The Diary of Anne Frank (Broadway) - Played Mr. Dussel.
• 2006: Mother Courage and Her Children (Off-Broadway) - Played the Chaplain.
• 2007: Romeo and Juliet (Off-Broadway) - Played Friar Laurence.
• 2011: Three Sisters (Off-Broadway) - Director, won an Obie Award.
• 2018 & 2022: Choir Boy and The Minutes (Broadway) - Acting roles.
• 2022: Between Riverside and Crazy (Broadway) - Director.

Film highlights

• 1970: Catch-22 - Lieutenant Colonel Moodus.
• 1972: What's Up, Doc? - Frederick Larrabee.
• 1979: The Muppet Movie - Max.
• 1986: Short Circuit - Howard Marner.
• 1992: My Cousin Vinny - John Gibbons.
• 1994: Guarding Tess - Earl Fowler.
• 1997: Amistad - Professor Gibbs.
• 2001: A Beautiful Mind - Thomas King.
• 2003: Finding Nemo - Voice of Gurgle.
• 2016: Finding Dory - Voice of Gurgle.

Television highlights

• 1974: Good Times - Donald Hargrove.
• 1986: Miami Vice - Max Rogo.
• 1992: Murder, She Wrote - Barney Gunderson.
• 1997: Frasier - Dr. William M. Dorfman.
• 1998–2002: Oz - William Giles (11 episodes).
• 2003: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Horace Gorman.
• 2012: Game Change (HBO TV movie) - Senator Joe Lieberman.
• 2016: Billions - Goose Quill.

See also

In Spanish: Austin Pendleton para niños