Michael is the director of marketing and communications at the
UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Â UCLA School of
Theater, Film and Television Arthur Friedman,
former UCLA professor emeritus, died Jan. 23.
By Teri Bond Michael
Arthur Friedman, actor, professor and historian, who chronicled
the lives of more than 100 pioneers of the world of entertainment
in the “Turning Point” radio series, died Jan. 23 of a
heart attack. He was 81.
Professor emeritus in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and
Television, Friedman began teaching on the Westwood campus in 1948.
Conducting courses in acting and directing for film and television,
he ushered in the age of broadcasting for the Department of Film
and Television. He helped to establish the television curriculum in
1951 and taught classes in broadcasting, sportscasting and
production techniques. As a faculty member, he created, wrote and
directed several television, radio and theater productions.
Following retirement from UCLA in 1990, Friedman continued to be
involved with the campus community by attending productions,
participating in alumni programs and acting in student films. He
gave a touching performance in the award-winning “The Killing
Jar,” by M.F.A. directing student Aion Velie in 1994.
“Arthur epitomized the philosophy of our school by
actively working throughout his career in all three disciplines of
film, television and stage,” said Robert Rosen, dean of the
school. “We are deeply saddened and will miss him
greatly.”
Friedman produced a radio series, “Turning Point,”
featuring interviews with over 100 entertainment pioneers and major
music hall personalities of England. Also included among his
interviews were early film stars such as Lillian Gish, Harold Lloyd
and Mary Pickford.
Acquired by UCLA Charles E. Young Research Library’s
Department of Special Collections, the audio-taped archive recently
received preservation reformatting by the UCLA Oral History
Program. The series, recorded from 1950-1965, is catalogued at the
Library of Congress and will ultimately be presented online.
In the 1950s, Friedman created and produced a historical radio
series about inmate management, from incarceration through
probation, at several prisons throughout California. The series was
distributed worldwide by the United Nations.
Friedman’s stage name was Arthur Bernard, and his
professional acting career included appearances on network
television series such as “Lancer,”
“Mannix” and “Star Trek.” He played
principal roles in the popular miniseries “Rich Man, Poor
Man” and “War and Remembrance.”
He starred in numerous theater productions throughout the Los
Angeles area, appearing as Esdras under George Schaefer’s
direction in “Winterset” at UCLA as well as Willy Loman
in a campus production of “Death of a Salesman.”
Additional theater credits include the part of Davies in
“The Caretaker,” Sorin in “The Seagull,”
Max in “The Homecoming” and George in
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
In 1995, Friedman starred in and produced Frank Gilroy’s
Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “The Subject Was Roses,”
at a Glendale theater. He appeared on stage with real-life family
members, son Derrel and wife Madgel. Friedman described the
production about a dysfunctional Irish Catholic clan as his
“last hurrah.” Directed by former student and fellow
UCLA faculty member Myrl Schreibman, the play was praised by
critics as a “must-see” and Friedman received several
awards for his performance of the aging patriarch. Schreibman also
directed Friedman in the film “The Girl, the Gold Watch and
Everything.”
He recently completed shooting for an appearance in the upcoming
feature film “Animal” starring Rob Schneider.
Friedman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from UCLA
in 1941, a Master of Arts degree in drama from the University of
Southern California in 1947 and a Ph.D. in speech and drama from
USC in 1955. He held additional teaching positions at USC and the
University of British Columbia, as well as at institutions in
Brazil and Yugoslavia. He served as a curator for the Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences and the UCLA Film and Television
Archive.
A 50-year resident of Encino, Friedman was a member of the
Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity and the American Federation of
Television and Radio Artists.
He is survived by his wife, Madgel; three sons, Jason, Derrel
and Chris; a daughter, Dena Van Slyke; and a granddaughter,
Tara.