Sidney Lumet - Early Years

Early Years

Lumet was born in Philadelphia. He studied theater acting at the Professional Children's School of New York and Columbia University.

His parents, Baruch and Eugenia (née Wermus) Lumet, were both veterans of the Yiddish theatre. His father was an actor, director, producer and writer, while his mother was a dancer. His mother died when he was a child. He made his professional debut on radio at age four and stage debut at the Yiddish Art Theatre at age five. As a child he also appeared in many Broadway plays, including 1935's Dead End and Kurt Weill's The Eternal Road.

In 1935, aged 11, he appeared in a Henry Lynn short film, Papirossen (meaning "Cigarettes" in Yiddish), co-produced by radio star Herman Yablokoff. The film was shown in a theatrical play with the same title, based on a hit song, "Papirosn". The play and short film appeared in the Bronx McKinley Square Theatre. In 1939 he made his only feature-length film appearance, at age 15, in One Third of a Nation.

In 1939, World War II interrupted his early acting career, and he spent three years with the U.S. Army. After returning from World War II service (1942–1946) as a radar repairman stationed in India and Burma, he became involved with the Actors Studio, and then formed his own theater workshop. He organized an Off-Broadway group and became its director, and continued directing in summer stock theatre, while teaching acting at the High School of Performing Arts. He was the senior drama coach at the new 46th St. (Landmark) building of "Performing Arts' ("Fame"). The 25 year old Lumet directed the drama department in a production of The Young and Fair.