(1873-1943)
Born Max Goldmann in Baden, Austria-Hungary, Max Reinhardt became one of the most admired and prolific directors and producers in Europe. His early work was seen in America in 1912 when Winthrop Ames brought Rein-hardt's Asian pantomime Sumurun (1912) to Broadway. In 1924, Reinhardt recreated his acclaimed production of The Miracle at the Century Theatre, which was transformed by scene designer Norman Bel Geddes into the interior of a medieval gothic cathedral. Critics lavished praise on this production, leading to an American season for Reinhardt's troupe in 1927-1928, during which they toured his celebrated productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Danton 's Death, and others. With the rise of the Nazis, Reinhardt fled Europe, abandoning his home and theatres in Germany and Austria to settle in Hollywood, where he directed a lavish stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Hollywood Bowl in 1934. This led to the 1935 all-star Warner Brothers motion picture version. Returning to Broadway, he directed The Eternal Road* (1937), The Merchant of Yonkers* (1938), and Sons and Soldiers* (1943).
The Historical Dictionary of the American Theater. James Fisher.