Arthur earned his B.A. from the University of California, Riverside and his MFA at the University of California of San Diego. He studied under the guidance of Alan Schneider who introduced him to Stella Adler, with an introductory letter. Under the tutelage of Stella, Arthur soon became a colleague and friend to Stella. She guided his evolution from actor to teacher to artist. She shared everything she knew about the Stanislavski acting method; including, sharing the notes she took from Stanislavski, which explained that his method is not based on personal experience, that so many get wrong, rather in imagination. Arthur studied with Stella Adler for ten years before becoming the founding principal instructor at her studio in Hollywood, The Stella Adler Conservatory West.
He has taught in Los Angeles for more than twenty years and has worked with such talents as Khandi Alexander, Sasha Barrese, Finola Hughes, Branford Marsalis, Deidre Hall, John Jopson, and Salma Hayek, and he worked extensively with Benicio del Toro after he won a scholarship to the Conservatory. He has performed in more than 124 plays and worked on television and in film, including episodes of Falcon Crest and Our House and the film Deep Cover.
Arthur is the founder, artistic director, and principal acting instructor at the Actors Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, California. He has directed productions at the Actors Circle Theatre, including The Glass Menagerie, 7 Women, A Director & a Tape Recorder and three seasons of ACTtheREP (A program of repertory theatre, holding productions of published and original plays yearly. This program was established for actors exemplifying outstanding talent and work ethic in the Advanced Scene Study class).
Currently, Mendoza coaches at the Santa Monica Playhouse, continuing his and Stella Adler’s legacy of the Stanislavsky Method, finding an indirect pathway to emotional expression via physical action. With this technique, Arthur believes anyone can act, “All it takes is determination and a willingness to be wrong, regularly.”
“Arthur, you are the best-kept secret in Los Angeles.” – Rosco Lee Brown
