0 1 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁induct ed , ▁post hum ously , ▁into ▁the ▁American ▁Theater ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁Cha ik in ▁suffered ▁a ▁stroke ▁during ▁his ▁third ▁open - heart ▁surg ery , ▁which ▁left ▁him ▁with ▁partial ▁a phas ia . ▁Following ▁Cha ik in ' s ▁stroke , ▁several ▁writers , ▁including ▁Jean - Cla ude ▁van ▁It all ie , ▁Susan ▁Y ank ow itz , ▁and ▁Sam ▁She p ard , ▁wrote ▁plays ▁specifically ▁for ▁Cha ik in ▁to ▁perform ▁and ▁direct , ▁most ▁not ably ▁The ▁War ▁in ▁Heaven ▁which ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁Steven ▁Kent . ▁Cha ik in ▁performed ▁the ▁piece ▁in ▁San ▁Diego , ▁Atlanta , ▁and ▁Par ma , ▁Italy , ▁Samuel ▁Beck ett ' s ▁last ▁poem , ▁" What ▁Is ▁the ▁Word ? ", ▁was ▁written ▁for ▁and ▁dedicated ▁to ▁Cha ik in . ▁▁ ▁Cha ik in ▁was ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁teacher ▁of ▁acting ▁and ▁direct ing , ▁and ▁lived ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁adult ▁life ▁in ▁New ▁York ' s ▁West ▁Village , ▁at ▁West b eth ▁Art ists ▁Community . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Website ▁of ▁the ▁document ary ▁film ▁The ▁Pres ence ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Cha ik in ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 3 5 ▁birth s ▁Category : 2 0 0 3 ▁death s ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁Brook lyn ▁Category : American ▁male ▁dram at ists ▁and ▁play w right s