Lecture
Professor David Peimer
Saturday 15.08.2026
Professor David Peimer
Who was the Greatest Actor of the 20th Century? A Personal View
Saturday 15.08.2026
How to watch
This lecture starts on 15 August at 5:00pm (UK).
Summary
Join us for this fascinating debate. We do not just ask who acted characters well or even who moved us the most, we ask which actors reshaped the world of acting, shifting the industry from classical styles to raw, psychological realism and other styles. And who influenced us with the greatest innovations in comedy and film? We will explore Brando, Bogart, Brody, De Niro, Chaplin, Groucho, Woody Allen, Paul Newman, Olivier, Schofield, Pacino, and, briefly, mention others.
Professor David Peimer
David Peimer is a Professor of Literature, Film and Theatre in the UK. He has worked for the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, New York University (Global Division) and was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University. Born in South Africa, David has won numerous awards for playwriting and directing. He has most recently directed Dame Janet Suzman in his own play, Joanna’s Story, at London Jewish Book Week. He has published numerous books, including Armed Response: Plays from South Africa and the digital book Theatre in the Camps. He is on the board of the Pinter Centre (London), and has been involved with the Mandela Foundation, Vaclav Havel Foundation and directed a range of plays at Mr Havel’s Prague theatre.