The Scholarly Thespian

English Professor Daniel Seltzer's classroom antics have made him a character on the Princeton University campus; during lectures, he suddenly breaks into near perfect imitations of Peter Lorre or John Gielgud or a Jewish mother. He can also transform his Shakespeare and modern drama classes into vibrant theater, effortlessly slipping into the role of King Lear, perhaps, or Uncle Vanya. But to the dismay of Seltzer's students, their professor is saving his best dramatic efforts these days for enthusiastic audiences on Broadway.

Seltzer, 43, is playing a starring role in Knock Knock, Jules Feiffer's successful new play about two middle-aged men living in seclusion (TIME, Feb. 2). Last week Seltzer was nominated for a Tony award for his role as Cohn, a fussy, intellectual eccentric. When Seltzer read his part to some of his students before the play opened, they thought he was merely being himself. Says Katherine Mendeloff, a senior English major from Baltimore: "It's so Seltzerian. Feiffer must have written it especially for him."

Not really. While looking for someone to play the role of Cohn, Feiffer remembered seeing Seltzer in early 1975 in an off-off Broadway production of The Sea Gull. In August, he tracked down the professor, who was on a lecture tour in Africa, and signed him up. Seltzer insisted on one condition: that the play be put off until January, when he was scheduled to start a sabbatical.

Seltzer has been leading a double life ever since. Before leaving his Princeton home for Manhattan (50 miles away) each day, he attends English department meetings and directs the university's theater and dance program, which he initiated in 1974. Unlike those of most universities, the program is not designed to train students to go directly on the stage after graduation. Explains Seltzer: "I am not interested in increasing the number of unemployed actors. I believe that a study of theater is the best way to expand minds and sharpen emotions." Indeed only a small percentage of the 200 students enrolled in program courses intend to become professional actors. Says Seltzer: "We're building creative audiences."

Seltzer, the son of a New Jersey biochemist, is a Princeton graduate, class of 1954. He switched to Harvard for his doctoral studies, then returned to Princeton in 1970 after twelve years of teaching English at Harvard.

His students hope that Knock Knock has a long run, but they miss having Seltzer at Princeton full time. For one thing, the bachelor professor now has little time to uphold his reputation as the best chef on campus. He has been forced to cut back on the Indian and Szechuan Chinese dinners he cooks for his students. But what students miss most are his classroom dramatics. Says Sophomore Chad Restum: "Dan can do a reading involving three characters and never make a mistake with the different voices." The day when Seltzer is back performing at the podium may come none too soon for the acting professor. Says he: "I could sleep for a week."

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