Difference between revisions of "Leo Kerz"

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[[Leo Kerz]] (1912-1976) was an art director, production, set and lighting designer for stage, film and TV.
  
Leo Kerz (1912-1976) was a Producer, Art Director, Production Designer and Set Designer.
 
  
Born in Berlin, Germany, where he began his career as a stage designer.
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== Biography ==
  
He escaped Nazi Germany in 1933, living in the Netherlands, in the United Kingdom and in South Africa, before immigrating to the US in 1941, where he became a Boradway scenic and lighting designer.
 
  
He was married to Louise Kerz, who later married Al Hirschfeld in 1996.  
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Born in Berlin, Germany, on 1 November 1912, where he studied with Bertolt Brecht and Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, as well as at the Academy of Arts and Sciences, and began his career in Berlin, from 1927 as an assistant  stage designer for Erwin Piscator.  
  
- See more at: http://access.cjh.org/home.php?type=extid&term=483067#1
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He escaped Nazi Germany in 1933, living and working in London, Amsterdam, Prague, and for a while in South Africa, before immigrating to the US in 1942, where he became a Broadway scenic and lighting designer (1944 - 1973).
  
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He was married to New York based theatre historian Louise (Manning) Kerz. Kerz died on 4 November 1976, New York City.
  
Born on 1 November 1912 in Germany. 
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== His contribution to South African theatre and performance ==
 
 
Died on 4 November 1976, New York City.
 
 
 
 
 
He came to South Africa in **, Late 1930s ''[[What Next Baby?]]'', Johannesburg.and in 1942 founded the [[Pioneer Theatre]], in Johannesburg. 
 
 
 
He moved to the USA in 194* to become a successful Broadway lighting and scenic designer (1944 - 1973).
 
  
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He came to South Africa in193*, directing and working on a number of plays in Cape Town and Johannesburg. He founded the [[Pioneer Theatre]] in Johannesburg, and between 1938 and 1941 produced (and probably designing and directing) a number of ''avant garde'' plays, including  Brecht's ''[[The Threepenny Opera]]'', (1938); ''[[Gas]]'' (1938); ''[[What Next Baby?]]'' (1939);  ''[[Miracle at Verdun]]'' (1939); Odets's ''[[Golden Boy]]'' (1940) and ''[[The Cradle Will Rock]]'' (1941).
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
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[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=yRhNAiqHQKcC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=Leo+Kerz&source=bl&ots=ThXuN1m6ok&sig=gMeU7JYsqb8KEbsb1zfPETrHhzM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEYQ6AEwCWoVChMIrPHK0sGDyAIVBDsaCh2GtwOb#v=onepage&q=Leo%20Kerz&f=false]
 
[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=yRhNAiqHQKcC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=Leo+Kerz&source=bl&ots=ThXuN1m6ok&sig=gMeU7JYsqb8KEbsb1zfPETrHhzM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEYQ6AEwCWoVChMIrPHK0sGDyAIVBDsaCh2GtwOb#v=onepage&q=Leo%20Kerz&f=false]
  
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"Kerz, Leo" in: Martin Banham 1995. ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'', p.599[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=8qMTPAPFGXUC&pg=PA599&lpg=PA599&dq=Leo+Kerz+Pioneer+Theatre&source=bl&ots=uMXB_7gxVa&sig=voqlKX3pLHk9zsuvaZf2f12POl4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAWoVChMI5o34ytqDyAIVxtoaCh2wYwVm#v=onepage&q=Leo%20Kerz%20Pioneer%20Theatre&f=false]
  
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Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]]
  
 
== Return to ==
 
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Latest revision as of 07:39, 21 September 2015

Leo Kerz (1912-1976) was an art director, production, set and lighting designer for stage, film and TV.


Biography

Born in Berlin, Germany, on 1 November 1912, where he studied with Bertolt Brecht and Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, as well as at the Academy of Arts and Sciences, and began his career in Berlin, from 1927 as an assistant stage designer for Erwin Piscator.

He escaped Nazi Germany in 1933, living and working in London, Amsterdam, Prague, and for a while in South Africa, before immigrating to the US in 1942, where he became a Broadway scenic and lighting designer (1944 - 1973).

He was married to New York based theatre historian Louise (Manning) Kerz. Kerz died on 4 November 1976, New York City.

His contribution to South African theatre and performance

He came to South Africa in193*, directing and working on a number of plays in Cape Town and Johannesburg. He founded the Pioneer Theatre in Johannesburg, and between 1938 and 1941 produced (and probably designing and directing) a number of avant garde plays, including Brecht's The Threepenny Opera, (1938); Gas (1938); What Next Baby? (1939); Miracle at Verdun (1939); Odets's Golden Boy (1940) and The Cradle Will Rock (1941).

Sources

The South African Theatre, Music and Dance 1(1), 1939. 34-35.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0450148/bio

Center for Jewish History, Leo Kerz Collection, 1959-1970[1]

Orville Kurth Larson, 1989.Scene Design in the American Theatre from 1915 to 1960, pp. 143-4. [2]

"Kerz, Leo" in: Martin Banham 1995. The Cambridge Guide to Theatre, p.599[3]

Go to the ESAT Bibliography

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