James Lipton

Louis James Lipton (September 19, 1926 – March 2, 2020) was an American writer, lyricist, actor, and dean emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City. He is best known as the executive producer, writer, and host of the Bravo cable television series Inside the Actors Studio, which debuted in 1994. Lipton was born on September 19, 1926, in Detroit. His father, Lawrence Lipton, was a journalist and beat poet, and his mother, Betty, was a teacher and librarian. Lipton began working at the age of 13 due to financial struggles in his family. He retired from Inside the Actors Studio in 2018.