Home

Lee Strasberg only liked two people, Gary Swanson and Al Pacino” – Mickey Rourke

The Montauk Group Celebrating 13 Years!

 Training actors in the technique devised by Konstantine Stanislavski’s System and Lee Strasberg’s “The Method”

 ACTING SUMMER INTENSIVE. Limited space available! apply now 

Read more in East Hampton Press 


 “Gary is a fierce talent!”
– Jeremy Lacone
Writer, The Bone Collector

Gary Swanson

Gary Swanson is a working actor, not a teacher wishing to be one. He is the last of the actors who studied and knew Lee Strasberg, the “Father Of The Method”. Gary worked with the maestro for the last 7 years of his life, both in Lee’s private classes and as a Life Time Member of The Actors Studio.

Along with his extensive acting resume, Gary was the first of four teachers to pilot The Actors Studio MFA Program at The New School Of Social Research in 1993 with Bradley Cooper as a graduate.

Strasberg infused his philosophy with the same standard of excellence that makes Gary a tour de force for the new actors or working professionals working toward a higher level of mastery and performance and rise as leaders in their profession.

Gary on the IMDb

Mission

We continue to create a better world by inviting true artists to do what Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg did for generations – they taught, gave back and passed the baton to those destined to break new ground for the future artists of the world.
Gary invites successful directors, producers, writers, actors, casting agents and musicians to participate to ensure this work will not be lost to our culture.

 

New York and Montauk classes are open to former and new students, as well as working professionals, who need to “risk” new growth in acting.

Inquire about applications, auditions, and interviews held in New York City and Montauk. We are filling the remaining 5 spaces for the 2019 Montauk Art Theater Summer Program.

This year we will be working on an original screen project along with potential stage productions, with much of the work being filmed for potential future use.

Writers, Casting Agents, Directors, Producers, and Professional Artists will be invited to our exclusive Industry Nights held in Montauk and in NYC.

Click HERE to learn more about The Montauk Art Theater Summer Program.

Gary Has Starred in 15 Feature Films

Gary was recently contacted to do an interview for “Vice Squad” – a film Gary had the lead in, released and becoming a major hit in 1982. It was a low budget film that competed with the major studio films of that era. “Vice Squad” was made for $3 million dollars and to date has taken in $100 million over the course of years. It finally went out of print but something happened: the film had a resurgence and fans began to request that the film be made available. It is now a cult film.

The owners of the film are re-releasing “Vice Squad” and distributing it worldwide once again. The new producers interviewed Gary and the video will be attached to the DVD which will be released by August 15th.

In 2005 Gary made a film – “Trooper” – with writer/director/actor Chris Martini. Chris played Gary’s son who came back from the Iraq war torn apart by fear and steeping in a classic PTSD agony. His arrival home was no sanctuary because Gary’s character, Chris’s father, was dying of cancer triggered by Napalm poisoning during his time as a soldier in the Viet Nam War.

Chris informed us that “Trooper” has become a favorite of the Armed Services, will get a theatrical release and will be shown to service members around the world.

“Trooper” is having a screening on SaturdayAugust 10th at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Here is a link to the trailer: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/trooper

“War is a distortion of the human soul and we all must strive to be good to others, to be generous and loving without compromise. It’s the only tool in our lives that we have to combat the madness of combat.” – Gary

Gary’s Students Have Been Featured In

The Wizard of Lies

The Wolf of Wall Street

Desperate Housewives (TV series)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 1 & 2

The Good Wife

The Bone Collector

The Nanny

Benny and June

My Big Fat Greek Life

Oy Vey! My Son is Gay

Orange is the New Black

Law & Order SVU

You Don’t Mess With The Zohan

Ugly Betty

Til Death

Boston Legal

The King of Queens

Red Riding Hood

Touched By An Angel

Murder She Wrote

The Breakfast Club

And many more…

ACTING SUMMER INTENSIVE and ongoing classes. Limited space available! apply now 

Subscribe to our mailing list and blog updates

* indicates required