Arthur Cantor (March 12, 1920 – April 8, 2001) was an accomplished American theatrical producer who contributed to the presentation of over 100 productions that were displayed on stages across the globe, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London and Paris.
His career was hoisted by his collaborations with some of Broadway's most reputable stars, such as: Colleen Dewhurst, Zero Mostel, Rex Harrison, Ingrid Bergman, Julie Harris, Eileen Atkins and Claire Bloom.
[1] Having been raised in the Mattapan section of Boston, Cantor had his first theatre experience as a 4-year-old, when he attended a production at the local Yiddish playhouse.
[2] The work, which debuted on stage in 1959, had previously been rejected by countless producers for it told an unusual story of a young Jewish girl that was possessed by a demon.
Although the Broadway production was not fruitful in terms of revenue, the project proved worthwhile when it was later made into an Academy Award-winning film,[4] which starred Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn.
[2] He was set to produce a piece, titled Scent of Roses, by South African writer Lisette Lecat Ross in the fall of 1999, but it was halted prior to reaching Broadway.