Motion Picture Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Actor. Born Irwin Mazursky, to parents of Russian-Jewish descent, his father worked at a newspaper plant. He took a liking to drama at an early age and began acting professionally while studying Literature at Brooklyn College. He later studied Method acting under Lee Strasberg and began to appear on television during the early 1950s. He marked his film debut in the early Stanley Kubrick picture "Fear and Desire" (1953) and followed this with the racially-charged "The Blackboard Jungle" (1955). In 1959, he moved to Los Angeles and studied Film at UCLA while performing in the school's repertory. During this period, he formed a comedy act with Larry Tucker. The pair would collaborate on several of his screenplays. By the early 1960s, he was writing material for such programs as "The Danny Kaye Show" and "The Monkees." During the course of his career, he earned four Academy Award nominations, beginning with his first feature directing effort "Bob, Carol, Ted & Alice" (1969), "Harry and Tonto" (1975), "An Unmarried Woman" (1979) and "Enemies: A Love Story" (1990). Among his other credits include "I Love You Alice B. Toklas" (1969), "Alex in Wonderland" (1970), "Next Stop Greenwich Village" (1976), "Tempest" (1982), "Moscow on the Hudson" (1984) and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986). He maintained his acting career and appeared on numerous TV programs, including "The Twilight Zone" and a recurring role as 'Norm' in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2004 to 2009). He received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 2013. He died from pulmonary cardiac arrest.
Motion Picture Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Actor. Born Irwin Mazursky, to parents of Russian-Jewish descent, his father worked at a newspaper plant. He took a liking to drama at an early age and began acting professionally while studying Literature at Brooklyn College. He later studied Method acting under Lee Strasberg and began to appear on television during the early 1950s. He marked his film debut in the early Stanley Kubrick picture "Fear and Desire" (1953) and followed this with the racially-charged "The Blackboard Jungle" (1955). In 1959, he moved to Los Angeles and studied Film at UCLA while performing in the school's repertory. During this period, he formed a comedy act with Larry Tucker. The pair would collaborate on several of his screenplays. By the early 1960s, he was writing material for such programs as "The Danny Kaye Show" and "The Monkees." During the course of his career, he earned four Academy Award nominations, beginning with his first feature directing effort "Bob, Carol, Ted & Alice" (1969), "Harry and Tonto" (1975), "An Unmarried Woman" (1979) and "Enemies: A Love Story" (1990). Among his other credits include "I Love You Alice B. Toklas" (1969), "Alex in Wonderland" (1970), "Next Stop Greenwich Village" (1976), "Tempest" (1982), "Moscow on the Hudson" (1984) and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986). He maintained his acting career and appeared on numerous TV programs, including "The Twilight Zone" and a recurring role as 'Norm' in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2004 to 2009). He received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 2013. He died from pulmonary cardiac arrest.
Bio by: C.S.
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