Sep 7, 1909

Istanbul, Ottoman Sultanate

Elia Kazan, known for his creative stage direction, was born Elia Kazanjoglous in Istanbul in 1909 to Greek parents. He directed such Broadway plays as "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". He directed the film version of A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and many other films. He is a proponent of the method approach to acting, developed by Konstantin Stanislavski. Kazan received two best director Academy Awards, for the films Gentleman's Agreement (1947) and On the Waterfront (1... ... (read more...) 954). He has written many films about Greek immigrants, such as America, America (1963). These films are based on his novels. Kazan's autobiography, published in 1988, is entitled "Elie Kazan: A Life".