Men Of Character Character Actors/ Director
Julian Beck
Julian Beck was an American actor, director, poet and painter.
He was born in 1925 at Washington Heights, NY, the son of a businessman and a teacher.
Beck briefly attended Yale University but wanted to pursue art and writing and dropped out.
In the 1940's he became an Abstract Expressionist painter. However, his career changed when he met his future wife Judith Malina whereby they both shared the love of the theater.
He was most famous for creating The Living Theater which he directed until his death Many times the actors moved in and about the audience. At one time the play presented was The Connection and was about drug addiction whereby the actors playing the junkies wandered through the audience asking for money to get a fix. Originally in New York , this theater group moved and was eventually shut down by the IRS due to back taxes.
Though Beck did not make many movies, His most famous one was Poltergeist II, whereby he played the evil presence in the form of the creepy preacher Dr. Kane. This is the role that puts him my series of blogs.
The movie roles of Julian Beck were:
Narcissus (1958) as Narrator
Oedipus Rex (1967) as Tiresla
Love And Anger (1969) as Dying Man
The Cotton Club (1982) as Sol Weinstein
9 1/2 Weeks (1986) as Dinner Guest
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) as Kane
The only TV series that he appeared on were Miami Vice and Il fascino dell'insoloto.
At the time of the making of Poltergeist II- The Other Side he was suffering from cancer which took his life shortly after.
The Poltergeist Film and 9 1/2 Weeks were issued posthumously.
His very gaunt looks as Dr. Kane was probably helped by his illness.
He was married to Judith Malina and the couple had two children.
Julian Beck passed away in 1985 at age 60 from cancer.
The only film I have seen Mr. Beck in was Poltergeist 2 -The Other side in which he gave a very creepy and chilling performance.
Louie The Movie Buff