1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁producer , ▁director , ▁and ▁actor ▁primarily ▁noted ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁impro vis ational ▁theatre . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁Born ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁to ▁an ▁old ▁money ▁family , ▁She ph erd ▁grew ▁up ▁with ▁left - lean ing ▁sens ib ilities . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Louise ▁T racy ▁( But ler ) ▁and ▁William ▁Ed gar ▁She ph erd , ▁an ▁architect . ▁His ▁pat ernal ▁grand m other ▁was ▁the ▁sister ▁of ▁social ite ▁Alice ▁Clay po ole ▁V ander b ilt . ▁He ▁studied ▁English ▁at ▁Harvard ▁and ▁received ▁an ▁M . A . ▁in ▁the ▁History ▁of ▁Theater ▁at ▁Columbia . ▁Dis en ch anted ▁with ▁what ▁he ▁perce ived ▁as ▁a ▁European ▁domin ated ▁the ater ▁on ▁the ▁East ▁Coast , ▁She ph erd ▁grav itated ▁to ▁the ▁Mid west . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁She ph erd ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁co - found ers ▁of ▁the ▁Play w right s ▁Theatre ▁Club ▁in ▁Chicago . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁he ▁and ▁Paul ▁S ills ▁founded ▁the ▁Com pass ▁Play ers , ▁the ▁for er un ner ▁of ▁The ▁Second ▁City . ▁Com pass ▁launched ▁the ▁care ers ▁of ▁Mike ▁Nich ols , ▁Ela ine ▁May , ▁Jerry ▁St iller , ▁Alan ▁Ald a , ▁Alan ▁Ar kin , ▁Barbara ▁Harris , ▁and ▁Sh elle y ▁B erman ▁(