In 1934, he joined a Detroit real estate firm. By 1937, before he was 30, his real estate work had made him a small fortune of about $50,000. He led a syndicate (along with Ben Tobin and Alfred R. Glancy Jr.)[2] that bought the Empire State Building in 1951 for $51 million, then a titanic sum; he more than doubled his investment when he sold his interest in the building three years later.[3]
In politics, he made a mark as chairman of the Democratic Party's finance committee in 1956.[6]
He produced more than 100 plays and musicals over his career, including West Side Story, Bus Stop, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. In 1971, he received Special Tony Award for his body of work. He became known for introducing plays by such adventurous writers as Harold Pinter, Arthur Kopit and Tom Stoppard.[7]
Stevens was the General Administrator of the Actors Studio as well as one of the producers of the Playwrights Company, a member of the board of the American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA), and one of the members of a Broadway producing company he founded in 1953 with Robert Whitehead, and Robert Dowling. In 1961, he was asked by President John F. Kennedy to help establish a National Cultural Center,[8] and became Chairman of Board of Trustees of what was eventually named the Kennedy Center from 1961 to 1988.
Stevens was married to Christine Gesell Stevens, founder of the Animal Welfare Institute in 1951. He served as the organization's treasurer until his death in 1998. They had a daughter, Christabel.
He had his first heart attack in 1970. In 1993, he suffered strokes that left him partly paralyzed and deprived him of much of his speech.
J.P. Shanley (21 July 1953). "New Drama Group Has Million Stock". The New York Times. p. 18. Retrieved 2008-05-24.[dead link]
National Endowment for the Arts (2000). . Washington, DC: National Endowment for the Arts. OCLC 52401250. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
Staff writers (2008). . Kennedy Center. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
Eric Pace (4 February 1998). "Roger L. Stevens, Real Estate Magnate, Producer and Fund-Raiser, Is Dead at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
The American Presidency Project
^Pace, Eric (4 February 1998). "Roger L. Stevens, Real Estate Magnate, Producer and Fund-Raiser, Is Dead at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
^New York Times: "Ben Tobin, 92, Investor in Hotels And in Real Estate" by Wolfgang Saxon June 16, 1996
^Pace, Eric (4 February 1998). "Roger L. Stevens, Real Estate Magnate, Producer and Fund-Raiser, Is Dead at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
^"About Us - The Company Story - Unico Properties". Unico Properties. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
^"Company Overview of Unico Properties LLC". Bloomberg LP. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
^Pace, Eric (4 February 1998). "Roger L. Stevens, Real Estate Magnate, Producer and Fund-Raiser, Is Dead at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
^Pace, Eric (4 February 1998). "Roger L. Stevens, Real Estate Magnate, Producer and Fund-Raiser, Is Dead at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
^"Explore the Center, History of the Living Memorial". The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
^"9 Stage Veterans Enter Theater Hall of Fame". New York Times. April 22, 1986.
^Pace, Eric (4 February 1998). "Roger L. Stevens, Real Estate Magnate, Producer and Fund-Raiser, Is Dead at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
roger, stevens, roger, lacey, stevens, march, 1910, february, 1998, american, theatrical, producer, arts, administrator, real, estate, executive, founding, chairman, both, kennedy, center, performing, arts, 1961, national, endowment, arts, 1965, roger, stevens. Roger Lacey Stevens March 12 1910 February 2 1998 was an American theatrical producer arts administrator and real estate executive He was the founding Chairman of both the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 1961 and the National Endowment for the Arts 1965 Roger L StevensRoger StevensBornRoger Lacey StevensMarch 12 1910Detroit Michigan United StatesDiedFebruary 2 1998 1998 02 02 aged 87 Washington D C United StatesAlma materUniversity of MichiganOccupation s theatrical producer and real estate developerSpouseChristine GesellChildren1 Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 Stage productions 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditBorn in Detroit Michigan Stevens was educated at The Choate School now Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford Connecticut He was about to enter Harvard University but his father s financial difficulties ended his plan He attended the University of Michigan for a year before dropping out He then worked on a Ford assembly line and at a gas station during the Depression 1 In 1934 he joined a Detroit real estate firm By 1937 before he was 30 his real estate work had made him a small fortune of about 50 000 He led a syndicate along with Ben Tobin and Alfred R Glancy Jr 2 that bought the Empire State Building in 1951 for 51 million then a titanic sum he more than doubled his investment when he sold his interest in the building three years later 3 In 1953 together with Alfred R Glancy Jr Ben Tobin and H Adams Ashforth he founded Unico Properties to develop a 10 acre University of Washington site in central Seattle 4 5 In politics he made a mark as chairman of the Democratic Party s finance committee in 1956 6 He produced more than 100 plays and musicals over his career including West Side Story Bus Stop and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof In 1971 he received Special Tony Award for his body of work He became known for introducing plays by such adventurous writers as Harold Pinter Arthur Kopit and Tom Stoppard 7 Stevens was the General Administrator of the Actors Studio as well as one of the producers of the Playwrights Company a member of the board of the American National Theatre and Academy ANTA and one of the members of a Broadway producing company he founded in 1953 with Robert Whitehead and Robert Dowling In 1961 he was asked by President John F Kennedy to help establish a National Cultural Center 8 and became Chairman of Board of Trustees of what was eventually named the Kennedy Center from 1961 to 1988 In 1965 he received an appointment from President Lyndon Johnson as first Chairman of the National Council on the Arts later named the National Endowment for the Arts In 1986 Stevens was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame 9 On January 13 1988 Stevens was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan In 1988 he was also awarded the National Medal of Arts Personal life Edit Stevens in 1986 Stevens was married to Christine Gesell Stevens founder of the Animal Welfare Institute in 1951 He served as the organization s treasurer until his death in 1998 They had a daughter Christabel He had his first heart attack in 1970 In 1993 he suffered strokes that left him partly paralyzed and deprived him of much of his speech Roger Stevens died of pneumonia on February 2 1998 at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington D C 10 He was 87 Stage productions EditBroken Glass 1994 Tony Award nominee Best Play The Kentucky Cycle 1993 Tony Award nominee Best Play She Loves Me 1993 Tony Award nominee Best Revival of a Musical Shadowlands 1990 Tony Award nominee Best Play Death of a Salesman 1984 Tony Award winner Best Reproduction On Your Toes 1983 Tony Award winner Best Reproduction Play or Musical Bedroom Farce 1979 Tony Award nominee Best Play Deathtrap 1978 Tony Award nominee Best Play Old Times 1971 Tony Award nominee Best Play Indians 1969 Tony Award nominee Best Play Half a Sixpence 1965 Tony Award nominee Best Musical Slow Dance On the Killing Ground 1964 Tony Award nominee Best Producer of a Play Strange Interlude 1963 Tony Award nominee Best Producer of a Play A Man for All Seasons 1962 Tony Award winner Best Play and Best Producer of a Play The Caretaker 1961 Tony Award nominee Best Play The Visit 1958 Tony Award nominee Best Play A Touch of the Poet 1958 Tony Award nominee Best Play West Side Story 1957 by arrangement Tony Award nominee Best Musical Time Remembered 1957 Tony Award nominee Best Play The Rope Dancers 1957 Tony Award nominee Best Play Separate Tables 1956 Tony Award nominee Best Play The Waltz of the Toreadors 1956 Tony Award nominee Best Play Bus Stop 1955 Tony Award nominee Best Play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1955 Tony Award nominee Best PlayReferences EditJ P Shanley 21 July 1953 New Drama Group Has Million Stock The New York Times p 18 Retrieved 2008 05 24 dead link National Endowment for the Arts 2000 The National Endowment for the Arts 1965 2000 A Brief Chronology of Federal Support for the Arts Washington DC National Endowment for the Arts OCLC 52401250 Archived from the original on 2008 05 17 Retrieved 2008 05 24 Staff writers 2008 Biography of Roger L Stevens Kennedy Center Archived from the original on 2008 10 07 Retrieved 2008 05 24 Eric Pace 4 February 1998 Roger L Stevens Real Estate Magnate Producer and Fund Raiser Is Dead at 87 The New York Times Retrieved 2008 05 24 The American Presidency Project Lifetime Honors National Medal of Arts Pace Eric 4 February 1998 Roger L Stevens Real Estate Magnate Producer and Fund Raiser Is Dead at 87 The New York Times Retrieved 14 March 2017 New York Times Ben Tobin 92 Investor in Hotels And in Real Estate by Wolfgang Saxon June 16 1996 Pace Eric 4 February 1998 Roger L Stevens Real Estate Magnate Producer and Fund Raiser Is Dead at 87 The New York Times Retrieved 14 March 2017 About Us The Company Story Unico Properties Unico Properties Retrieved 18 October 2018 Company Overview of Unico Properties LLC Bloomberg LP Retrieved 18 October 2018 Pace Eric 4 February 1998 Roger L Stevens Real Estate Magnate Producer and Fund Raiser Is Dead at 87 The New York Times Retrieved 14 March 2017 Pace Eric 4 February 1998 Roger L Stevens Real Estate Magnate Producer and Fund Raiser Is Dead at 87 The New York Times Retrieved 14 March 2017 Explore the Center History of the Living Memorial The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Retrieved 4 September 2017 9 Stage Veterans Enter Theater Hall of Fame New York Times April 22 1986 Pace Eric 4 February 1998 Roger L Stevens Real Estate Magnate Producer and Fund Raiser Is Dead at 87 The New York Times Retrieved 14 March 2017 External links EditRoger L Stevens at the Internet Broadway Database Roger L Stevens at IMDb The Library of Congress exhibit Public Leadership in the Arts Awards listing 1998 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roger L Stevens amp oldid 1144340670, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
