Hi Bonnie,
I hope you are well. I know you are super busy at the moment preparing for Get A-Listed (which I’m very excited about!) but I wondered if I could ask you a quick question.
I have just finished reading Harold Guskin’s book How To Stop Acting and am desperate to come to New York and train with him privately. His words really resonate with me and I think I will get a lot out of working with him. I have heard that classical musicians travel all over the world to train with their chosen teachers and I thought: Why shouldn’t actors do the same!?
The only problem is I can’t seem to find any contact details for him and was wondering if you could point me in the right direction?
If you know his email address or someone who could put me in touch with him I would be extremely grateful!
Many Thanks,
Fiona Geddes
Fiona, thank you, first off, for being excited about Get A-Listed. I haven’t talked about it here, and I’ll leave it at the link and a quick blurb: “It’s — finally — the online version of my Self-Management for Actors Seminars,” and I too am ridiculously excited about it. We’re going to have a blast! 🙂
Now, as for your question about Harold Guskin… well, I had the same experience that you — and apparently many others, per the most typical Google searches I came across — had, in striking out on his contact information. In fact, I found a bunch of places where actors are asking one another, “Does anyone know if he still teaches and, if so, how I can reach him?”
So, if he does still teach (which it doesn’t appear that he does, from what I can gather), he’s not trying to attract new students, and is probably only working with a small group of long-time students at this point. I believe anyone looking to build a pool of students would make it a little easier for folks to find out how to register to train with him.
That said, this is one of those things that I always think is smart to put out on the Hollywood Happy Hour Yahoo! group or any of your favorite actor message boards, because if someone is training with him, they’ll share what they know!
Good luck to you, getting to train with someone who inspires you so! And again, thank you for the enthusiasm about my new venture. Means a lot. 🙂
Wanna be sure your tools *and* your mindset are in peak form, no matter who’s training you on craft? Let us get you in gear with some FREE training right now!
Let’s DO this!
Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!
Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/001397.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.
Always enjoy your work, hope to meet one day and meet the person behind the work
God Bless
John Pallotta
I came to Harold 10 years ago to prepare for a small TV roll and I can say I did not share your experience. My hour of time cost $250.00 paid for 5 sessions up front was consistenly interrupted by people coming over to say hello and tales of other actors he enjoyed working with more then me. If you do not have deep pockets and a “name” you should think about going in another direction IMO
Eddie
Harold still teaches and in my opinion there’s no-one better. But it IS expensive and the reason he seems invisible on the net is that he’s got enough students and new people find him by other means 😉
I studied with Harold for sometime years back. Much of his process includes talking about James Gandolfini and Glenn Close, so you need to shut that down asap because he is not cheap. The reason he is not on the web is because he is a dinosaur. He does not use a computer. He and his wife are beautiful people. He’s getting up there in age maybe late 70s (he’s still a young hippie at heart from Brooklyn). I too experienced the being interrupted on occasion (as someone else mentioned). The concept of STOP ACTING is an important one, particularly for inexperienced actors trying to get out of their own way, as was my case. Hiis book is good, which is really the reason so many people sought him out. As an ongoing coach he doesn’t have a process/curriculum that you will practice with him, something you may find with some of the others who come out of a strict method principal, like anthony abeson. I would only recommend him if you are working on a particular piece, like a guest star role for network television or an equity play that you need to get sharp with. As a suggestion, you may want to spend your money wisely and study with some of the casting agents who teach, like Rob Decina who casts Shades of Blue. He is an excellent teacher (taught for Pace), and you will be making a relationship that may get you in the audition room. Good luck
Hey Bonnie I was interested in wondering who teaches Harald Guskin technique in LA would be much appreciated , I like his technique and was wanting to study with someone who teaches his technique , thank you I really appreciate it … dave Baumgardner