Michael Elias

Michael Herman Elias (born September 20, 1940) is an American writer, film director and producer. Early and private life Elias was born in upstate New York. He inherited his left-wing politics from his parents. His father was a doctor, the son of immigrants to the US from Hungary who spent some time in Spain in the 1930s during the Spanish Civil War. His mother was a librarian and trade union activist, whose parents came to the US from Russia. The family moved to Woodstock in the early 1960s. Elias attended Woodbourne Elementary School, Fallsburg High Central Junior and Senior High School. From there he went to St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, graduating in 1962 with a degree in mathematics and philosophy. He was President of The Rogers Albritton Film Club and acted in The King William Players productions of Shakespeare, Brecht, and Beckett. Elias is the brother of Ruth Rogers (Lady Rogers) who is married to British born architect Richard Rogers (Lord Rogers) and Susan Elias, an artist living in Berlin who is married to artist Reinhard Voigt. Elias has been married three times: Caroline Bielefelt 1963–1974, Laraine Mestman 1991–2001, and Bianca Roberts former executive director of the Mona Bismarck American Center in Paris. Elias has one son with Laraine Mestman, Frederick Mestman, and three step-sons: Ernie Klein, Siggy Bodolai, and James Bulliard. Acting career After college Elias went to New York, studied with Bill Hickey, Uta Hagen at HB Studio and Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio. At the same time Elias joined The Living Theatre where he appeared on stage in Kenneth Brown's The Brig 1963 as well as the 1964 film by Jonas Mekas. Elias traveled to London with The Living Theatre for a production of The Brig at the Mermaid Theatre, then returned to New York where he appeared in plays at the Judson Poets Theatre by Al Carmines, Rochelle Owens, and Maria Irene Fornes. In 1963, Elias, along with other members of the cast were arrested when Federal Marshals seized the theatre.