H. William Fitelson was an American entertainment lawyer with Fitelson & Mayers, managing director of the Theatre Guild, and a founding board member of the Actors Studio. He also served on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Early life and education
Fitelson was born in New York, NY, on January 21, 1905. He attended public schools. He graduated from New York Law School in 1927 and passed the bar. ==Career==
Career
He took up the practice of entertainment industry law in New York City. His clients worked in theater and film, including Broadway personalities and investors. and Gypsy Rose Lee and Ethel Merman. Author James Baldwin called him "a feisty Napoleon of the theater." He was a member of the original board of directors of the Actors Studio upon its formation in 1948. From the 1940s through the 1960s, Fitelson was involved in the production of musicals and dramas, as well as motion pictures. He retired from Fitelson & Mayers (also known as Fitelson, Mayers & London) in the mid-1980s. ==Personal life ==
Personal life
Fitelson married Anita. They had two daughters, Margaret and Robin, and a son, David Fitelson. He became a doctor. Fitelson had a wide circle of acquaintances, and corresponded with New York intellectuals such as philosopher Sidney Hook {{cite web {{cite web He died at home in New York City at age 89 of obstructive cardiopulmonary disease. ==Bibliography==