Elia Kazan

Elia Kazan was an American director, producer, writer and actor, described by The New York Times as one of the most honored and influential directors in Broadway and Hollywood history.

He was born in Istanbul, to Cappadocian Greek parents. After studying acting at Yale, he acted professionally for eight years, later joining the Group Theater in 1932, and cofounded the Actors Studio in 1947. With Robert Lewis and Cheryl Crawford, his actors studio introduced Method Acting under the direction of Strasberg. Kazan acted in a few films, including City for Conquest .

Source: Wikipedia