David Birney is an award-winning actor/director. Mr. Birney adapted and directed Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve for presentation on the prestigious PBS series American Playhouse. Developing the piece for the stage, he subsequently has directed productions for important regional theatres such as the Hartford Stage Company, the Barter Theatre and on tour on both the East and West coasts.

        He has also starred in many television films, among them "Love and Betrayal," "Long Journey Home," "The Five of Me," "Ohms," "The Deadly Game," "High Midnight" and "The Champions."

        Mr. Birney's extensive stage credits include starring roles on Broadway in "Amadeus" and "Benefactors," "Man and Superman," and major roles at the American Shakespeare Festival, New York's Lincoln Center Repertory Theatre, the New York Shakespeare Festival, Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum, Washington, D.C.'s Shakespeare Theatre and numerous regional theatres. Representative roles include Jack Tanner in "Man and Superman," Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo, Mercutio, Richard II, Richard III, Benedick in "Much Ado About Nothing," Antony in "Antony and Cleopatra," Christy Mahon in "The Playboy of the Western World," Young Man in "Summertree," Cusins in "Major Barbara," Jerry in "The Zoo Story," Algernon in "The Importance of Being Earnest," Arthur in "Camelot," Higgins in "My Fair Lady," Matt Friedman in "Talley's Folly," David in "Social Security" Andrew in "Love Letters," and Lenny Ganz in "Rumors."

        He is a recent recipient of The Millenium Recognition Award from The Shakespeare Theatre in the nation's capitol for his contribution to classical theatre.

        Mr. Birney has served on the Theatre Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts and is a current board member of the Foundation for Bio-Medical Research. He is a frequent spokesman for childrens' health and welfare issues. He lives with his twin children, Peter and Mollie, in Santa Monica.

Awards

Millenium Recognition Award, The Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, D. C.
Audie Award, The Christmas Tree.
Walden Books Award,
McCall's Magazine Humanitarian Award,
"L. A. Weekly"   Award, Best Director, A Life in the Theatre
Photoplay Magazine Award, "Most Promising Newcomer"
Sixteen Magazine Award, performance in Bridget Loves Bernie
Buffalo Courier Express Award, performance as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet
Theatre World Award Best Performance as the dying soldier in Summertree
The Barter Theatre Award,

Charitable Affiliations

Board Member, Foundation of Biomedical Research 1990-1998;
Co-Chairman, American Diabetes Association 1986-89;
Certificates of Recognition, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation;
The National Association for the Blind;
The Southern California Rehabilitation Association;
U.S. Ski Team;
and various local charities.
Mr. Birney is a prominent advocate for children's education and health.

Professional Affiliations

National Endowment for the Arts, Theatre Panel, 1979, 1994.
Visiting Professor of Drama, Dartmouth College, 1980
Board of Overseers, Hopkins Center and the Hood Museum of Art
Dartmouth College, 1987 and 1988.
The Players Club, New York City
Actor's Equity Association
The Screen Actor's Guild
The American Federation of Television Artists
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Interests

Skiing, sailing, poetry, literature, music and running (The Santa Monica and New York Marathons).

Supplemental References

Who's Who in America. Gale Research, Detroit, 44th edition, 1986.
Who's Who in Theatre, Gale Research Co., 17th edition, 1981 Detroit.
The Dictionary of International Biography, Volume 19, Cambridge, England 1985, 1986.
Men of Achievement, 12th edition, International Biographical Centre, Melrose Press,
     Cambridge, England, 1986.
Notable Names in American Theatre, James T. White, Clifton, New Jersey.
Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, profile, 1973.
Theatre World, Crown Publishers.
Motion Picture Magazine, July 1973.
Contemporary Theater, Film & Television, Gale Research, Vol. 1, 1984.
Actors' Televison Credits, Supplement, Suplements I, II, 1978-80.
Television Drama Series Programs, A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1959-'75,
     Scarecrow Press, 1978.
The New York Times, February 6, 1971.
Parade Magazine, profile, October 11, 1987 T.V. Guide, profile November 28, 1987.
The New York Times, December 27, 1987.
The New York Times, January 8, 1988.
The New York Post, January 7, 1 988.
The Daily News, Jan. 7, 1988.
Audio File, Nov./Dec. 1997.