Walt Witcover

Who is Walt Witcover?

Walter Witcover Scheinman is an actor, director, and acting teacher born in New York City. His parents were Louis J. Scheinman, a sculptor and composer, and Juliette T. Benton, a critic and lecturer. He received a BA and MA from Cornell University and served in World War II.

He studied acting under his mentor Lee Strasberg, as well as with Herbert Berghof, and Curt Conway. As director, three of his Off-Broadway productions won Obie Awards. He taught acting and directing at Berghof's studio for twenty-five years and was Professor of Theatre Arts at the State University of New York at Purchase Theatre Arts program, and at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He also was co-founder and Artistic Director of Masterworks Laboratory Theatre. He later founded the Witcover Acting Studio in New York City. He has directed plays with Jane Alexander, Dominic Chianese, Jerry Stiller and Ernest Borgnine, among many others.

Witcover is the author of the 2004 book, 'Living on Stage: Acting from the Inside Out: a Practical Process'.