James Lipton, whose serious interviews with high-profile stars in the TV show 'Inside the Actors Studio' for more than 23 seasons made him a well-known popular culture figure, died of bladder cancer at his home in Manhattan on 2nd March, at the age of 93. His in-depth conversations with celebrities on the program focused on craft, not gossip, and made the show a hit on Bravo.

News of his death was confirmed by Ovation TV, which currently airs 'Inside The Actors Studio' after a long run on Bravo. The high-minded showcase of the acting craft attracted the who's who of Hollywood over the years. Lipton was a knowledgeable interviewer who focused on the craft while avoiding gossip, winning the trust of his famous guests as well as an international audience. During his 23-season run as host, the show became a coveted stop for writers, directors, and performers, who would let their guards down and give some of their longest interviews to Lipton.

His manner was sympathetic, and among the 275 or so stars he interviewed were some of the brightest: Paul Newman, Alex Baldwin, Neil Simon, Sally Field, Dennis Hopper, and Sidney Lumet, to name a few. The format was unorthodox and low-budget. Lipton sat across from his guests at a simple table at an unadorned stage. He flipped through questions written out on blue note cards. And he kept the discussion on an intellectual plane. His raw interviews lasted four to five hours and were then edited down to one hour for television. He had a talent for eliciting unexpected disclosures. In fact, a researcher assembled material for Lipton, who then spent two weeks contemplating over it, analysing facts and drafting questions.

The nature of Lipton's conversation also made the program a ripe object for parody. Will Ferrell introduced Lipton to a different audience by impersonating him on 'Saturday Night Live', and the popularity of 'Inside the Actors Studio' led to cameos in other series, including 'Arrested Development' and the animated 'Family Guy'. A cartoon version of him was murdered on 'The Simpsons'.

Born in Detroit, Lipton moved to New York to pursue a career as a performer, appearing in plays and soap operas. He joined the cast of the soap 'The Guiding Light' in 1952, and later became a writer on the series. Lipton went on to write for other soaps- serving as head writer for some including 'Another World'- and wrote and produced for Broadway. In the late 1970s, he began producing TV specials, including several that featured comedy legend, Bob Hope. He was best known, however, for 'Inside the Actors Studio', which continued on Bravo into 2018, before moving to Ovation TV, with Lipton stepping aside, and the program employing rotating hosts.

In 1997, the show won the CableACE Award for the year's best talk show. It was nominated for 21 Primetime Emmys over the years. In 2013 it won the Emmy for outstanding informational series or special. And in 2016, Lipton won the Critics' Choice Television Award for best reality show host.

He was born as Louis James Lipton on September 19, 1926, in Detroit, Michigan. He died of bladder cancer on 2nd March 2020 at 93 at his home in Manhattan, NY. He is survived by his wife, model Kedakai Turner.