DESCRIPTION: Howard Schatz, author of last yearÕs critically acclaimed book Athlete, is among the most in-demand photographers working today, and his distinctive style has been widely imitated in art and advertising. SchatzÕs latest project, IN CHARACTER: ACTORS ACTING, is a book of photographic portraits of working actorsÑmany of them recognized starsÑplaying one or more roles directed by the photographer. The images are composed of one, two, three or more characters performed by each actor. Characters might include an evil crime boss, an eight-year-old girl triumphing at a spelling bee, a gambler at the track, a businessman on the prowl, a teenage girl flirting, or a coach imploring his players to play harder.
Insightful comments accompanying the images reveal the actorsÕ personal experiences, as well as their views on the creative process of acting and developing a character. Included are Jason Alexander, Richard Dreyfuss, Chevy Chase, Ellen Burstyn, Kelsey Grammer, Danny Glover, Peter Falk, Rosie Perez, Joe Mantegna, James Earl Jones, Natasha Richardson, George Segal, Hal Holbrook, Judd Hirsch, and Edie Falco.
IN CHARACTER: ACTORS ACTING is a landmark project for Schatz. It provides a fascinating new vision of actors acting and the power of the creative imagination, breaking new ground with its innovative form of photographic portraiture. The Introduction by Roger Ebert is an insightful appreciation of SchatzÕs work and the ongoing dialogue between actors and their audience.
