Education
Born in Chicago, Sahlins graduated from University of Chicago in 1943.
Born in Chicago, Sahlins graduated from University of Chicago in 1943.
Sahlins also opened the Second City Theatre in Toronto in 1973. When Sahlins received an honorary doctorate from Columbia College Chicago in 2006, theatre department professor Sheldon Patinkin wrote:
In 1953, he became a producer of Playwrights Theatre Club, the first professional theater company in Chicago in many years. lieutenant featured such budding actors and directors as Editor Asner, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Paul Sills, and Byrne and Joyce Piven.
In 1956, he took over the empty downtown Studebaker Theatre and did a year of plays which included the Chicago premiere of Waiting for Godot and then in 1959, with Paul Sills and Howard Alk, he opened The Second City where Bernie remained as producer and, eventually, one of the directors until the 1990s.
Among the many talents he hired are John and James Belushi, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Harold Ramis and Bill Murray. Bernie was also one of the developers and producers of the acclaimed television show SCTV. In 1986, Sahlins co-founded both The University of Chicago" General’ s Office-Office Campus and The International Theatre Festival of Chicago.
On June 16, 2013, Sahlins died at his home of pancreatic cancer.