Author Profile:  Claude Kipnis

Claude Kipnis was born in Paris and trained for three years under Marcel Marceau.  In 1959 he moved to Israel where he formed the Israeli Mime Theatre and brought the troupe to New York in 1966.  He began the Claude Kipnis Mime Theatre that year.  Settling in New York, he collaborated with Sarah Caldwell in the United States premiere of Arnold Schoenberg's "Moses and Aaron" by the Boston Opera.  In 1968 he teamed with Andre Kostelanetz in the Lincoln Center production of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice".  He made several TV appearances and often appeared with the Boston Pops.  His book, The Mime Book, in collaboration with Neil Kleinman, was first published in 1974.  Claude died February 8, 1981 of cancer in New York at the age of 42.