Jeff Corey: The Man Who Taught Hollywood How to Act
Lecture
“Jeff Corey…taught me everything I know about acting.” - Jack Nicholson
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“I vividly remember our first meeting and the exciting moments in his classes where I woke up as an actor.” - Leonard Nimoy
What do A-list celebrities like Jack Nicholson, Barbra Streisand, Jeff Bridges, and Jane Fonda all have in common? They're just a handful of the incredible actors and filmmakers to have been students of one prolific acting teacher and mentor, who's relatively unknown outside of the entertainment industry. This is the dramatic story of an actor, teacher, war hero, and man of truth who transformed his life from a black-listed actor to the role model for Hollywood's most successful tastemakers.
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Michelle embarks on a journey through the life of Jeff Corey, one of Hollywood's most famous acting instructors who, in the face of incredible adversity, persevered to teach star after star how to excel at the craft he could no longer be hired for.
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In this lecture, she will explore:
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• An overview of Jeff's upbringing in New York, and what motivated him to move cross-country to Los Angeles
• Why Jeff was targeted by Senator Joseph McCarthy during the "Red Scare" of the 1940s-50s, and the consequences he faced for publically opposing the Hollywood blacklist
• A look at what our most famous celebrities were like when they were still students in Jeff's acting classes
• How Jeff has single-handedly inspired and transformed the entertainment industry
• Behind-the-scenes insights and stories from Michelle, including Jeff’s teacher notes on his students
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Michelle helped bring Jeff’s memoir Improvising Out Loud: My Life Teaching Hollywood How to Act to print. The forward is written by Leonard Nimoy.
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Testimonials
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"Wonderful presentation! Michelle is such a charming and thoughtful presenter. I love how she made Jeff’s story come to life!" -Caesar
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"Corey was inspirational and his story needs to be told." -Gloria
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"Good speaker, fascinating man, good mix of video, photos" -Nancy
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"Narration was interesting and well-organized with photos to accompany what was being discussed." -Mimmye
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"The enthusiasm of the host; the endorsement from Corey's family; seeing his notes on some of his students." -Kathleen
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"So informative and inspirational, dynamite presenter." -Fran
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"I liked everything, especially the things I didn't know about. I went to school with his daughters and took acting classes at his home on Cheremoya Ave. Things I didn't know are all about the stars he worked with and Army experiences." -Barbara
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"Engaging not only in the subject matter, but in the presentation. The visuals were well done." -Stephanie
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"It was interesting to learn about the unique life & career of an actor who a generation of people grew up watching on the TV & Film." -Beth
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"I knew about Jeff Corey as an actor but not his life. So it was very interesting." -Charles
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"Great content about a fascinating man presented by a knowledgeable person with a superabundance of charm and enthusiasm." -Ross
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"It included a lot of information that I did not know, but really enjoyed learning." -Regina
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for more information and to schedule this workshop:
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