# Michael Shurtleff

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Michael_Shurtleff
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Michael_Shurtleff.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Shurtleff
> Source revision: 1318903727
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Michael Shurtleff** (July 3, 1920, in [Oak Park, Illinois](/source/Oak_Park,_Illinois) – January 28, 2007, in [Los Angeles, California](/source/Los_Angeles,_California)) was a major force in casting on [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) during the 1960s and 1970s. He wrote *Audition*,[1] a book for actors on the [audition](/source/Audition) process. He also wrote numerous one-act and full-length plays.

## Early life

**Charles Gordon Shurtleff** was born in Oak Park, Illinois and attended [Lawrence University](/source/Lawrence_University) in [Appleton, Wisconsin](/source/Appleton,_Wisconsin) and the [Yale School of Drama](/source/Yale_School_of_Drama), where he received his [MFA](/source/Master_of_Fine_Arts) in playwriting in 1952. He moved to [New York City](/source/New_York_City) after graduation and changed his first name to Michael.[2] He has two brothers, John and Roger.

## Career

Shurtleff was the major casting director for producer [David Merrick](/source/David_Merrick). During the casting process he would bring in to audition for the play's director such new names as [Elliott Gould](/source/Elliott_Gould), [Barbra Streisand](/source/Barbra_Streisand), [Gene Hackman](/source/Gene_Hackman), [Dustin Hoffman](/source/Dustin_Hoffman), [Bette Midler](/source/Bette_Midler) and [Jerry Orbach](/source/Jerry_Orbach).[2] Shurtleff worked with [Bob Fosse](/source/Bob_Fosse) on *[Pippin](/source/Pippin_(musical))* and *[Chicago](/source/Chicago_(musical))*, and [Andrew Lloyd Webber](/source/Andrew_Lloyd_Webber) on *[Jesus Christ Superstar](/source/Jesus_Christ_Superstar)*.[2]

Shurtleff went on to form his own casting service, **Casting Consultants**, in 1962. Among the Broadway productions on which he acted as casting director were the original productions of *[1776](/source/1776_(musical))*, *[The Apple Tree](/source/The_Apple_Tree)* and *[Chicago](/source/Chicago_(musical))*. He served as casting director on such films as *[The Graduate](/source/The_Graduate)* and *[The Sound of Music](/source/The_Sound_of_Music_(film))*.[2] In his book *Audition*, he addressed common problems for actors during the audition process, problems he had witnessed many times over in his casting sessions. The book has become somewhat of a "bible for aspiring actors."[2]

Shurtleff wrote the play *[Call Me By My Rightful Name](/source/Call_Me_By_My_Rightful_Name)*. He had plays published in *The Best Short Plays Series*, of which the 1979 edition includes his popular "Sailing."[3]

## Death

Shurtleff died of [lung cancer](/source/Lung_cancer), aged 86, at his home in [Los Angeles, California](/source/Los_Angeles,_California). [citation needed]

## References

1. Shurtleff, Michael. *Audition.* New York: Walker and Company, 1978. ISBN 0-8027-0590-1

1. Campbell, Robertson (February 12, 2007). ["Michael Shurtleff, Casting Director for Broadway and Hollywood, Dies at 86"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/12/arts/12shurtleff.html). *The New York Times*

1. Richards, Stanley editor. *The Best Short Plays 1979*, Chilton Book Company, 1979; ISBN 0-8019-6719-8

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Michael Shurtleff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Shurtleff) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Shurtleff?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.