Entertainment · Celebrity · 1 hr ago
Actor Alan Mandell, Known for Beckett Plays, Dies at 98
Actor Alan Mandell died at 98 at his home in Westwood, his family said.
The Toronto-born performer was known for interpreting plays by Samuel Beckett, including Waiting for Godot and Endgame.
In 1957, he played Lucky in Waiting for Godot for inmates at San Quentin State Prison in California.
He and inmate Rick Cluchey later co-founded the San Quentin Drama Workshop, which staged more plays at the prison.
Mandell also acted in films including A Serious Man and appeared on television, while his stage career brought him an Ovation Award in 2012.
His work helped bring Beckett’s plays to audiences in prisons, theaters and, later, to actors preparing for a Broadway revival of Waiting for Godot.
Actor Alan Mandell, known for his interpretations of Samuel Beckett’s plays, has died at 98.
He died Tuesday at his home in Westwood, his son and daughter-in-law told The Hollywood Reporter.
Mandell performed in a landmark 1957 production of Waiting for Godot for inmates at San Quentin State Prison.
He co-founded the San Quentin Drama Workshop with inmate Rick Cluchey.
Mandell’s final Beckett performance was as Hamm in Endgame at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2016.
- Who
- Alan Mandell, an actor known for performing in Samuel Beckett’s plays.
- What
- He died at 98.
- When
- Tuesday; the article does not give a calendar date for his death.
- Where
- At his home in Westwood.
- Why
- Not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Albert Mandell was born in Toronto.
Mandell performed as Lucky in Waiting for Godot for 1,400 inmates at San Quentin State Prison.
Mandell received an Ovation Award for playing Estragon in Waiting for Godot at the Mark Taper Forum.
Mandell played Hamm in Endgame at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.
Mandell died at his home in Westwood, according to his son and daughter-in-law.
- Age at death
- 98
- Birthplace
- Toronto
- San Quentin audience
- 1,400 inmates
- Award
- 2012 Ovation Award
- Final Beckett performance
- Hamm in Endgame at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2016
What people are saying
The text for [Beckett] was like a score, and the important thing for us was to find the rhythm of the line,
Once you had that, you were set.
I was a dropout or ‘throw-out.’ It was one of those things,
My father wanted to know what was going to happen to me.