Obituary of Ralph Proodian

Ralph Proodian, the quintessential gentleman and scholar, passed away on Sunday, August 26, 2018 at the age of 95. Professor Proodian, a college teacher for more than forty years, graced Brooklyn College and the Department of Speech from 1968 until 1991. Ralph was educated at Columbia College and Columbia University, and received a B.A., an M.A, and a Ph.D -- training both in Sociology and in Speech and Theater. At Brooklyn College he served as Chair of the Rhetoric and Public Address Division of the Department of Speech, and maintained our “Speaking Voice” course, an area of speech communication central to his interests. In the more than twenty years that Professor Proodian spent at Brooklyn College, he quietly and effectively fulfilled the role of insightful teacher and supportive mentor to generations of students. From his youth, when he became a member of Actors’ Equity Association, Ralph had a deep interest in the theater, acting on Broadway in The Corn Is Green with Ethel Barrymore and Rosalinda. This interest led him to undertake lengthy scholarly works on Shakespeare, which were accepted by Joseph Papp for inclusion in the archives of the Public Theater. Ralph also wrote on voice for the actor and interviewed leading actors (such as Victor Garber, John Gielgud, Blythe Danner, and F. Murray Abraham) for stories in the trade publication Backstage. He remained active in the theater in committee roles within Actors’ Equity, even when he no longer actively performed on the stage. In later years, the Wall Street Journal published a number of Professor Proodian’s articles on effective speaking in business. Ralph’s interests included cooking, the Apple computer, the stock market and investing, acting and the theatre. Ralph Proodian will be missed and a void for his passion for teaching, speech, and acting will be irrevocable. He leaves behind a sister, Alice, and a daughter, Cristina. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Ralph Proodian, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.