1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Gary Kasper to Florence Klotz

Norman Kean Biography (1934-1988)

Full name, Norman Alan Kean; born October 14, 1934, in Colorado Springs, CO;died in a suicide fall from his apartment building after murdering his wife,January 15, 1988, in New York, NY; son of Barney B. and Flora (Bienstock) Kean; married Gwyda DonHowe (an actress), October 12, 1958 (died, January 15, 1988); children: David.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

October 14, 1934

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Death Details

January 15, 1988

New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

• Credits
• STAGE DEBUT--Wint Selby, Ah, Wilderness!, Playhouse Theatre, Bar Harbor,ME, 1953.
• Also appeared with the Barn Theatre, Augusta, ME, 1954.
• FIRST STAGE WORK--Lighting designer, Ah, Wilderness!, Playhouse Theatre,Bar Harbour, ME, 1953.
• PRINCIPAL STAGE WORK; ALL AS GENERAL MANAGER,UNLESS INDICATED Johnny Johnson, Carnegie Hall Playhouse, New York City, 1956.
• technical supervisor, Androcles and the Lion, Queens College, Queens, NY,1956.
• Orpheus Descending, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1957.
• Waltz of the Toreadors, Coronet Theatre, New York City, 1958.
• A Touch of the Poet, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1958.
• Camino Real, St. Mark's Playhouse, New York City, 1960.
• Laurette, Shubert Theatre, New Haven CT, 1960.
• director, The Importance of Being Earnest, Gigi, and Charley's Aunt, allEastern Slope Playhouse, Conway, NH, 1961.
• General Seeger, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1962.
• Half Past Wednesday, Orpheum Theatre, New York City, 1962.
• Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden, World's Fair Playhouse, Seattle World'sFair, Seattle, WA, then Cort Theatre, New York City, both 1962.
• Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1962.
• Candida, Charles Playhouse, Boston, MA, 1962.
• Cages, York Theatre, New York City, 1963.
• producer, The Worlds of Shakespeare, Carnegie Recital Hall, New York City, 1963.
• "Tales of Hoffmann" and "Variations," Laterna Magika, Carnegie Hall, NewYork City, 1964.
• producer, The Bernard Shaw Story, East 74th Street Theatre, New York City, 1965.
• The World of Ray Bradbury, Orpheum Theatre, 1965.
• Hogan's Goat, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1965, then East 74thStreet Theatre, 1966.
• general manager, Oh! Calcutta!, Edison Theatre, New York City, 1969.
• The World's a Stage, Lyceum Theatre, 1969.
• producer, An Evening with Max Morath at the Turn of the Century, Jan HusPlayhouse, New York City, 1969.
• Orlando Furioso, Bubble Theatre, New York City, 1970.
• producer, Opium, Edison Theatre, 1970.
• co-producer, Happy Birthday, Wanda June, Edison Theatre, 1971.
• The Ballad of Johnny Pot, Theatre Four, New York City, 1971.
• producer (with John Heffernan), The Shadow of a Gunman, Sheridan Square Playhouse, New York City, 1972.
• Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, Playhouse Theatre, New York City, then Edison Theatre, both 1972.
• company manager, Hark!, Mercer-O'Casey Theatre, New York City, 1972.
• producer, Hosanna, Bijou Theatre, New York City, 1974.
• Fame, John Golden Theatre, New York City, 1974.
• (with Leonard Soloway) Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island, both Edison Theatre, 1974.
• producer, A Kurt Weill Cabaret and Oh! Calcutta!, both Edison Theatre, 1976.
• producer, Don't Step on My Olive Branch, Playhouse Theatre, 1976.
• A Broadway Musical, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1978.
• By Strouse, The Ballroom, New York City, 1978.
• producer (with Garth H. Drabinsky), Maggie and Pierre and After the Prize, both Phoenix Theatre, Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York City, 1981.
• Also produced A Woman and the Blues, New York City, 1966; Boccaccio and Me and Bessie, both New York City, 1975.
• ALL AS GENERAL MANAGER, APA-PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY,NEW YORK CITY MorningSun, Next Time I'll sing to You, and The Brontes, all Phoenix Theatre, 1963.
• Too Much Johnson, The Lower Depths, Right You Are, The Tavern, Scapin andImpromptu at Versailles, The Tragical Historie of Doctor Faustus, and Man and Superman, all Phoenix Theatre, 1964.
• You Can't Take It with You, War and Peace, and Judith, all Phoenix Theatre, 1965.
• The School for Scandal, Lyceum Theatre, 1966.
• War and Peace and Pantagleize, both Lyceum Theatre, 1967.
• The Show-off, Lyceum Theatre, then Shubert Theatre, Boston, MA, 1968.
• The Misanthrope and The Cocktail Party, both Lyceum Theatre, 1968.
• Cock-a-Doodle-Dandy and Hamlet, both Lyceum Theatre, 1969.
• MAJOR TOURS; ALL AS GENERAL MANAGER,UNLESS INDICATED The Pleasure of HisCompany, U.S. cities, 1960.
• The Matchmaker, U.S. cities, 1962.
• producer (with Lyn Ely), Worlds of Shakespeare, U.S. cities, 1963.
• Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, U.S. cities, 1974.
• Also stage manager, Theatre in Education touring production, U.S.
• cities, 1956; and general manager, Shakespeare Festival Players, U.S.
• cities, 1959.

Further Reference

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

• Variety, February 3, 1988.