▁en roll . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁and ▁met ▁his ▁future ▁wife ▁G ena ▁Row lands ▁at ▁her ▁aud ition ▁into ▁the ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁married ▁four ▁months ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁He ▁continued ▁acting ▁in ▁the ▁the ater , ▁took ▁small ▁parts ▁in ▁films ▁and ▁began ▁working ▁on ▁television ▁in ▁anth ology ▁series , ▁such ▁as ▁Al co a ▁Theatre . ▁ ▁Middle ▁years ▁ ▁Act ing ▁work shop ▁and ▁Sh adows ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁Cass av etes ▁had ▁begun ▁teaching ▁an ▁alternative ▁to ▁method ▁acting ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁work shop ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁An ▁impro vis ation ▁exercise ▁in ▁his ▁work shop ▁inspired ▁the ▁idea ▁for ▁his ▁writing ▁and ▁director ial ▁debut , ▁Sh adows ▁( 1 9 5 9 ; ▁first ▁version ▁ 1 9 5 7 ). ▁Cass av etes ▁raised ▁the ▁funds ▁for ▁the ▁production ▁from ▁friends ▁and ▁family , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁listen ers ▁to ▁Jean ▁She ph erd ' s ▁late - night ▁radio ▁talk - show ▁Night ▁People . ▁His ▁stated ▁purpose ▁was ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁film ▁about ▁mod est - in come ▁“ l ittle ▁people ”, ▁unlike ▁Hollywood ▁studio ▁produ ctions , ▁which ▁focused ▁on ▁stories ▁about ▁wealth y ▁people . ▁ ▁Cass av etes ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁gain ▁American ▁distribution ▁of ▁Sh adows , ▁but ▁it ▁won ▁the ▁Crit ics ▁Award ▁at ▁the ▁Ven ice ▁Film ▁Festival . ▁European ▁distrib utors