The Actors Studio has historical ties to the Stanislavsky-based work of the Group Theatre during the 1930s

Elia Kazan, Robert Lewis, and Clifford Odets (Waiting for Lefty-1935) were among the talented artists to emerge from the enterprise.

Anna  taught movement for actors at the Group Theatre, Elia Kazan had his dance studies with Anna there.

In 1947, Elia Kazan told Anna about plans for an exciting acting laboratory and asked if she would be interested in participating...
 
 
 

Elia Kazan's class (junior)	Robert Lewis' class (Experienced)
Julie Harris	Marlon Brando
Cloris Leachman	Montgomery Clift
Betsy Drake	Mildred Dunnock
James Whitmore	Patricia Neal
Steven Hill	Maureen Stapleton
	Anne Jackson
	Eli Wallach
	Jerome Robbins

 
 

Anna kept teaching in Actors Studio until the mid fifties.