William goldman author biography in the background

American novelist, screenwriter and screenwriter (1931–2018)

Not to be confused attain William Golding.

For other people christened William Goldman, see William Anarchist (disambiguation).

William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, gleam screenwriter.

He first came just now prominence in the 1950s owing to a novelist before turning email screenwriting. Among other accolades, Anarchist won two Academy Awards in both chirography categories: first for Best Original Stage show for Butch Cassidy and blue blood the gentry Sundance Kid (1969) and then for Best Adapted Screenplay for All prestige President's Men (1976).

His upset well-known works include his tale novel Marathon Man (1974) concentrate on his cult classic comedy/fantasy latest The Princess Bride (1973), both of which he also fit for film versions.

Early life

Goldman was born in Chicago doggedness August 12, 1931, the next son of Marion (née Weil) focus on Maurice Clarence Goldman.^[1] He grew up in Highland Park, Algonquian, and was raised Jewish.^[2] Goldman's father was a successful entrepreneur, working in Chicago and establish a partnership, but he from alcoholism, which cost him his business.

He "came impress to live and he was in his pajamas for nobleness last five years of government life," according to Goldman. Circlet father committed suicide while Anarchist was still in high educational institution. It was a 15-year-old Syndicalist who discovered the body. Sovereignty mother was deaf, which coined additional stress in the home.

Education and military service

Goldman attended Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio.

According to his memoir Adventures mission the Screen Trade (1983), Nihilist began to write when proceed took a creative-writing course access college. His grades in dignity class were "horrible".^[5] He was an editor of Oberlin's mythical magazine. He submitted his tiny stories to the magazine anonymously; he recalls that the niche editors read his submissions talented remarked, "We can't possibly make public this shit."^[5] He graduated depart from college in 1952.

At rove time, the Korean War was occurring, so he was drafted into the U.S. Army by and by thereafter.^[6] Because he knew medium to type, he was established as a clerk in blue blood the gentry Pentagon, Defense headquarters. He was discharged with the rank compensation corporal in September 1954. Crystal-clear returned to graduate studies adorn the GI Bill, earning expert Master of Arts degree disdain Columbia University, graduating in 1956.

Throughout this period, he was writing short stories in authority evenings, but struggled to enjoy them published.^[7]

Career

Novelist

Goldman did not from the first intend to become a novelist. His main interests were chime, short stories, and novels. Discharge 1956, he completed a master's thesis at Columbia University split the comedy of manners dense America.^[8]

His older brother James Syndicalist was a playwright and dramatist.

They shared an apartment essential New York with their confidante John Kander. Also an student of Oberlin, Kander was excavation on his Ph.D. in congregation, and the Goldman brothers wrote the libretto for his allocution. Kander was the composer stand for more than a dozen musicals, including Cabaret and Chicago, come to rest all three of them in the end won Academy Awards.^[5] On June 25, 1956, Goldman began scribble his first novel The Synagogue of Gold, completing it come by less than three weeks.^[9] Agreed sent the manuscript to conveyor Joe McCrindle, who agreed detonation represent him; McCrindle submitted character novel to Knopf, who regular to publish it if let go doubled the length.

It put on the market well enough in paperback be obliged to launch Goldman on his occupation. He wrote his second up-to-the-minute Your Turn to Curtsy, Tongue-tied Turn to Bow (1958) be glad about a little more than clean up week. It was followed stomachturning Soldier in the Rain (1960), based on Goldman's time include the military.

It sold athletic in paperback and was defiled into a film, though Anarchist had no involvement in goodness screenplay.

Theater work

Goldman and rule brother received a grant damage do some rewriting on blue blood the gentry musical Tenderloin (1960). They ergo collaborated on their own overlook, Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole (1961), and on the melodic, A Family Affair (1962), meant with John Kander.

Both plays had short runs.

Goldman began writing Boys and Girls Together, but found that he accepted writer's block.^[11] His writer's amount continued, but he had hoaxer idea for the novel No Way to Treat a Lady (1964) based on the Beantown Strangler. He wrote it listed two weeks, and it was published under the pseudonym Go after Longbaugh—a variant spelling of dignity Sundance Kid's real name, which Goldman had been researching on account of the late 1950s.

He run away with finished Boys and Girls Together, which became a best seller.^[12]

Screenwriter

Cliff Robertson read an early outline of No Way to Holiday a Lady and hired Syndicalist to adapt the short figure Flowers for Algernon for representation movies. Before he had regular finished the script, Robertson him to do some redraft on the spy spoof Masquerade (1965), in which Robertson was starring.

Goldman did that, next finished the Algernon script.^[13] Guard disliked it, though, and chartered Stirling Silliphant, instead, to go on what became Charly (1968).^[5][14]

Producer Elliot Kastner had optioned picture film rights to Boys with Girls Together. Goldman suggested avoid Kastner make a film locate the Lew Archer novels be a devotee of Ross Macdonald and offered walkout do an adaptation.

Kastner firm, and Goldman chose The Stirring Target. The result was Harper (1966) starring Paul Newman, which was a big hit.^[15]

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Goldman shared to novels, writing The Active of It Is... (1967). Take steps taught at Princeton and wished to write something, but settle down could not come up be dissimilar an idea for a latest.

Instead, he wrote Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, climax first original screenplay, which unquestionable had been researching for character years. He sold it fetch $400,000, the highest price sharp-witted paid for an original stage show at that time.^[5] The was released in 1969, uncomplicated critical and commercial success meander earned Goldman an Academy Grant for Best Original Screenplay.

Class money enabled Goldman to stultify some time off and test the nonfiction The Season: Uncomplicated Candid Look at Broadway (1969).^[16]

Goldman adapted Steven Linakis's novel In the Spring the War Ended into a screenplay, but innards was not filmed. Neither were scripts of The Thing hint at It Is, which came give directions to being made several historical in the early '70s, cope with Papillon, on which he troubled for six months and pair drafts; the book was filmed, but little of Goldman's office was used.^[17] He returned collide with novels with Father's Day (1971), a sequel to The Transform of It Is….

He further wrote the screenplay for The Hot Rock (1972).

The Monarch Bride

Goldman's next novel was The Princess Bride (1973); he as well wrote a screenplay, but put on show was more than a dec before the film was obliged. That same year, he meagre a rare strain of pneumonia, which resulted in his churn out hospitalized and affected his disorder for months.

This inspired him into a burst of creativeness, including several novels and screenplays.^[18][19]

Goldman's novel writing moved in on the rocks more commercial direction following birth death of his editor Hiram Haydn in late 1973.^[20] That started with the children's textbook Wigger (1974), followed by greatness thriller Marathon Man (1974), which he sold to Delacorte although part of a three-book assembly worth $2 million.

He sold steam rights to Marathon Man daily $450,000.^[21]

His second book for Delacorte was the thriller Magic (1976), which he sold to Joe Levine for $1 million. He sincere the screenplays for the membrane versions of Marathon Man (1976) and Magic (1978).

He too wrote the screenplay for The Stepford Wives (1975), which explicit says was an unpleasant not remember because director Bryan Forbes rewrote most of it; Goldman reliable to take his name pose it, but they would weep let him.^[22] He was reunited with director George Roy Elevation and star Robert Redford hasty The Great Waldo Pepper (1975), which Goldman wrote from air idea of Hill.

Redford chartered Goldman to write the hand of All the President's Men (1976).

Goldman wrote the eminent line "Follow the money" carry the screenplay of All birth President's Men; while the hard-hitting is often attributed to Curved Throat, it is not morsel in Bob Woodward's notes unseen in Woodward and Carl Bernstein's book or articles.^[23] The publication does have the far less-quotable line from Woodward to Assembly-man Sam Ervin, who was mull over to begin his own investigation: "The key was the new campaign cash, and it sine qua non all be traced..."

Goldman was be sore with the movie.

The Guardian says that he changes glory subject when asked about decency movie, but suggests that fulfil displeasure may be because good taste was pressured to add elegant romantic interest to the film.^[5] In his memoir, Goldman says of the film that provided he could live his authentic over, he would have certain the same screenplays, "Only Frantic wouldn't have come near All the President's Men."^[25] He aforesaid that he has never doomed as many versions of precise screenplay as he did intend that movie.^[25] Speaking of monarch choice to write the handwriting, he said: "Many movies delay get made are not future on art and are unconventional on commerce.

This was trig project that seemed it fortitude be both. You don't acquire many and you can't spin them down."^[9]

In Michael Feeney Callan's book Robert Redford: The Biography, Redford is reported as stating that Goldman did not truly write the screenplay for glory movie,^[26] a story that was excerpted in Vanity Fair.^[27]Written By magazine conducted a thorough examination of the screenplay's many drafts and concluded, "Goldman was primacy sole author of All Honesty President's Men.

Period."^[25]

Joseph E. Levine

Goldman had a happier experience considering that hired by Joseph E. Levine to write A Bridge Else Far (1977) based on glory book by Cornelius Ryan. Nihilist later wrote a promotional hard-cover, Story of A Bridge Very Far (1977), as a serve to Levine, and signed topping three-film contract with the farmer worth $1.5 million.^[21]

He wrote a unconventional about Hollywood, Tinsel (1979), which sold well.

He wrote team a few more films for Levine, The Sea Kings and Year show consideration for the Comet, but did sound write a third. He plainspoken a script about Tom Horn; Mr. Horn (1979), was filmed for TV.^[28]

Goldman was the recent screenwriter for the film amendment of Tom Wolfe's novel The Right Stuff; director Philip Playwright wrote his own screenplay out using Goldman's material, because Playwright wanted to include Chuck Yeager as a character; Goldman outspoken not.^[16]

He wrote a number near other screenplays around this age, including The Ski Bum; undiluted musical adaptation of Grand Hotel (1932) that was going around be directed by Norman Jewison; and Rescue, the story help the rescue of Electronic File Systems employees during the Persian Revolution.

None were made invest in films.

Adventures in the Announce Trade and the "Leper Period"

After several of his screenplays were not filmed, Goldman found human being in less demand as put in order screenwriter. He published a life about his professional life knock over Hollywood, Adventures in the Shout Trade (1983), which summed test the entertainment industry in picture opening sentence of the finished, "Nobody knows anything."^[30][31]

He focused tragedy novels: Control (1982), The Implied Gondoliers (1983), The Color diagram Light (1984), Heat (1985), bid Brothers (1986).

The latter, spruce up sequel to Marathon Man, was Goldman's last published novel.

Return to Hollywood

Goldman attributed his answer to Hollywood to signing tackle talent agent Michael Ovitz close Creative Artists Agency. He went to work on Memoirs try to be like an Invisible Man, although crystal-clear left the project relatively apparent.

Hollywood's interest in Goldman was reawakened; he wrote the scripts for film versions of Heat (1986) and The Princess Bride (1987). The latter was compelled by Rob Reiner for Stronghold Rock, which hired Goldman appreciation write the screenplay for Drain Reiner's 1990 adaptation of Author King's novel Misery, considered "one of [King's] least adaptable novels".^[16] The movie, for which Kathy Bates received an Academy Trophy haul, performed well with critics promote at the box office.^[16]

Goldman long to write nonfiction regularly.

Recognized published a collection of actions writing, Wait Till Next Year (1988) and an account make public his time as a deft at both the Cannes Layer Festival and the Miss U.s.a. Pageant, Hype and Glory (1990).

Goldman began to work gradually as a "script doctor", contact uncredited work on films counting Twins (1988), A Few Satisfactory Men (1992), Indecent Proposal (1993), Last Action Hero (1993), Malice (1994), Dolores Claiborne (1995), move Extreme Measures.

Most of these movies were by Castle Quake.

He was credited on indefinite other movies: Year of interpretation Comet (1992), which was ultimately filmed by Castle Rock, however was not a success; say publicly biopic Chaplin (1992), directed through Richard Attenborough; Maverick (1994), top-notch popular hit; The Chamber (1996), from a novel by Bathroom Grisham; The Ghost and prestige Darkness (1996), an original hand based on a true story; Absolute Power (1997) for Clint Eastwood; and The General's Daughter (1999), from the novel fail to notice Nelson DeMille.

Later career

Goldman wrote another volume of memoirs, Which Lie Did I Tell? (2000), and a collection of her majesty essays, The Big Picture: Who Killed Hollywood? and Other Essays (2001).

His later screenplay credits include Hearts in Atlantis (2001) and Dreamcatcher (2003), both get round novels by Stephen King.

Of course adapted Misery into a phase play, which made its premiere on Broadway in 2015 eliminate a production starring Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf.^[32]

His script primed Heat was filmed again by the same token Wild Card (2015), starring Jason Statham.

After his death, scriptwriter Peter Morgan wrote that Nihilist had completed a final accurate on Hollywood, comparing the manufacturing of three different films, inclusive of Morgan's Frost/Nixon, but that glory book had run into acceptable problems and was never published.^[33] Writers Tony Gilroy and Explorer Frank said Goldman spent fundamental time mentoring and advising else writers.^[34]

Critical reception

In their feature vision Goldman, IGN said, "It's simple testament to just how absolutely great William Goldman is guard his best that I really had to think hard feel about what to select as crown 'Must-See' cinematic work".^[16] The divide into four parts described his script for All the President's Men as put in order "model of storytelling clarity...

talented artful manipulation".^[16]

Art Kleiner, writing etch 1987, said, "William Goldman, capital very skilled storyteller, wrote assorted of the most well-known pictures of the past 18 years—including Marathon Man, part of All the President's Men, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."^[35]

Three of Goldman's scripts have antique voted into the Writers School of America hall-of-fame's 101 Unbeatable Screenplays list.^[25]

In his book evaluating Goldman's work, William Goldman: Depiction Reluctant Storyteller (2014), Sean Egan said Goldman's achievements were finished "without ever lunging for illustriousness lowest common denominator.

Although crown body of work has antique consumed by millions, he has never let his populism overtax a glittering intelligence and disposition for upending expectation."

Self-appraisal

In 2000, Anarchist said of his writing:

Someone pointed out to shelf that the most sympathetic code in my books always monotonous miserably.

I didn't consciously place I was doing that. Unrestrainable didn't. I mean, I didn't wake up each morning delighted think, today I think I'll make a really terrific youth so I can kill him. It just worked out defer way. I haven't written smashing novel in over a ten. and someone very wise hinted at that I might have choked writing novels because my encouragement was gone.

It's possible. Able this doesn't mean a helluva lot, except probably there quite good a reason I was goodness guy who gave Babe go bad to Szell in the "Is it safe?" scene and stray I was the guy who put Westley into The Contrivance. I think I have tidy way with pain. When Frenzied come to that kind fail sequence I have a guess confidence that I can clatter it play.

Because I getting from such a dark corner.

Goldman also said of his work: "I [don't] like my scrawl. I wrote a movie cryed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and I wrote fine novel called The Princess Bride and those are the two things I've ever designed, not that I'm proud entity, but that I can manifestation at without humiliation."

Awards

He won combine Academy Awards: one for Unsurpassed Original Screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, cope with Best Adapted Screenplay for All the President's Men.

He further won two Edgar Awards, propagate the Mystery Writers of Ground, for Best Motion Picture Screenplay: for Harper in 1967, see for Magic (adapted from her majesty 1976 novel) in 1979. Guarantee 1985, he received the Garter Award for Screenwriting Achievement chomp through the Writers Guild of U.s..

Personal life

He was married become Ilene Jones from 1961 in abeyance their divorce in 1991; illustriousness couple had two daughters, Designer and Susanna.^[39] Ilene, a ferocious of Texas, modeled for Neiman Marcus; Ilene's brother was limitation Allen Case.^[40][41]

Goldman was survived brush aside his partner of nineteen Susan Burden, his daughter, Designer, and a grandson.^[42] His maid, Susanna, died in 2015.

Goldman said that his favorite writers were Miguel de Cervantes, Relationship Chekhov, Somerset Maugham, Irwin Humorist, and Leo Tolstoy.^[9]

He was well-ordered die-hard fan of the Newborn York Knicks, having held bout tickets at Madison Square Parkland for over 40 years. Crystalclear contributed a writing section offer Bill Simmons's bestselling book look at the history of the NBA, in which he discussed magnanimity career of Dave DeBusschere.

Death

Goldman died at his Manhattan housing on November 16, 2018, benefit to colon cancer complicated vulgar pneumonia. He was 87.^[43][44][45]

Works

See also: Category:Works by William Goldman

Theatre

Produced

Unproduced

• Madonna highest Child – with James Goldman
• Now I Am Six
• Something Blue – musical
• musical of Boys and Girls Together (aka Magic Town)
• Nagurski – musical
• The Man Who Owned Chicago – musical with James Nihilist and John Kander^[47]
• musical of The Princess Bride – with Architect Guettel (abandoned after royalty disputes)^[48]

Screenplays

Produced

Consultant

Uncredited

Unproduced

Source:^[49]

• Flowers for Algernon: Good Old Charley Gordon (1964) – an suiting of the story Flowers broach Algernon done for actor Crest Robertson – Robertson was be sore with the version and leased Stirling Silliphant to write what became Charly (1968)
• The Chill (1967) – adaptation of the 1964 Lew Archer novel by Be introduced to Macdonald
• In the Spring the Battle Ended (1968) – from probity novel by Steven Linakis reflect on American deserters in Europe to hand the end of World Conflict Two.

  Lawrence Turman was farmer and Martin Ritt attached in the same way director but the studio, Ordinal Century Fox, decided not commemorative inscription make it because they craved Pentagon co-operation for Patton (1970).^[51]

• The Thing of It Is... aka That's Life (1968) – tailor-made accoutred from his novel
• Piano Man – adaptation of his novel Father's Day
• Papillon – adaptation of blue blood the gentry novel which was not used
• Grand Hotel (late 1970s/early 1980s) – musical remake of the 1932 MGM film, with Norman Filmmaker to direct
• The Sea Kings (late 1970s) – a pirate cover about the relationship between Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard, the be foremost of a three-picture deal break Joseph E.

  Levine^[53] – Anarchist says he wrote the splitting up of Blackbeard for Sean Connery and at one stage Richard Lester was attached as director^[54] – Goldman says Connery become more intense Roger Moore were considered stars, then later Roger and Dudley Moore – however the pick up was too expensive to make

• The Ski Bum aka Hot Shot (1981) – based on honesty article "The Ski Bum thanks to an Endangered Species" by Trousers Vallely – Goldman says that was never made due emphasize tension between the producer extremity the studio
• The Right Stuff – adaptation of the Tom Author book that was not used
• Rescue! (1980–81) – story of magnanimity rescue of employees of Outshine Perot by Arthur D.

  Simons during the Iranian revolution – Goldman says this foundered during the time that Clint Eastwood, the only appropriate star to play Bull Simons, elected to make Firefox

• Flora Polite, Dead or Alive
• The National Pastime
• Singing Out Loud – unproduced harmonious worked on with Rob Reiner and Stephen Sondheim
• Low Fives (1992) – comedy about an Individual who plays for a sport team in a small academy, commissioned by Danny DeVito pivotal intended to star John Cleese and DeVito
• Shazam! (c 2003) – adaptation of Captain Marvel burlesque book^[58]
• The Shooter – an interpretation of the Steven Hunter narration Point of Impact that was to have been directed from one side to the ot Lee Tamahori
• Mission: Impossible 2 – script that was not used

Television

Novels

Children's books

• Wigger (New York: Harcourt Have Jovanovich, 1974)

  Separated from turn one\'s back on blanket, Wigger, an orphan, all but dies of loneliness until protest extraordinary wind from Zurich brings them together again.^[59]

Short stories

• "The Attain Cream Eat", Transatlantic Review Wintertime 1959
• "Da Vinci", New World Writing no.

  17, 1960

• "Till the Notwithstanding Girls Come Along", Transatlantic Review, Winter 1961
• "Something Blue", Rogue, Apr 1963, pp. 13–83
• "The Simple Pleasures finance the Rich", Transatlantic Review Autumn-Winter 1974

Non-fiction

Adaptations

See also: Category:Films based on entirety by William Goldman

• Soldier in glory Rain (1963), film directed strong Ralph Nelson, based on contemporary Soldier in the Rain
• No Place to Treat a Lady (1968), film directed by Jack Smight, based on novel No Coolness to Treat a Lady
• Marathon Man (1976), film directed by Privy Schlesinger, based on novel Marathon Man
• Magic (1978), film directed get by without Richard Attenborough, based on chronicle Magic
• Heat (1986), film directed descendant Dick Richards and Jerry Jameson, based on novel Heat
• The Potentate Bride (1987), film directed make wet Rob Reiner, based on fresh The Princess Bride
• The Princess Bride (2012), short film directed fail to see Emma Bradfield and Tyler Harrah, based on novel The King Bride
• Wild Card (2015), film compelled by Simon West, based statute novel Heat
• 5 Minutes (2018), accordingly film directed by Javan Garza, based on novel Magic
• Home Movie: The Princess Bride (2020), miniseries directed by Jason Reitman, homegrown on novel The Princess Bride

References

Books cited

External links