R.I.P. David Legrant

Longtime bicoastal acting�coach David Legrant -- whose generations of students included Tobey Maguire, Steve Martin, Danny Glover, Bernadette Peters, Alyson Hannigan and Sarah Gilbert, to name just a few�-- has died in Los Angeles. He was 87. According to news reports about him, Legrant had a knack for distilling his years' worth of knowledge into memorable phrases like,�"If you're going to paint a picture, are you going to paint it with your own eye or someone's else's?" that encouraged actors to take charge of their scene and their craft.�Maguire, who�was 18 when he met Legrant, often said the teacher helped him�both as an actor and as a person.�Born in 1923 in Los Angeles, Legrant�came into contact with showbiz because his father was a carpenter in the film industry. A flight engineer�in World War II, Legrant�used the G.I. Bill to study acting. He performed on a local television show and appeared in small movie roles, but he opted to move to New York in the late 1940s to pursue stage work.�He�studied at the Actor's Studio with Lee Strasberg during a golden age of the institute and was in the same class with�Marilyn Monroe.�Legrant taught in New York until 1978, when he moved back to Los Angeles.�He emphasized the need for naturalness and believability�and�relaxation.�He also�repeatedly instructed his students:�"Never copy anyone.�There is only one of you in the world. The best thing you have to offer is your originality. If they ... Read More »

Source: http://www.deadline.com/2011/07/r-i-p-david-legrant/

Katy Perry Keira Knightley Kelly Brook Kelly Carlson Kelly Clarkson Kelly Hu