David MametBirth Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA Date of Birth: November 30, 1947 Heritage: American Famous for: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Glengary Glen Ross (1984) Contact David Mamet | 
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Glengarry Glen Ross Background: “Hollywood is like cocaine. You cannot understand its attraction until you are doing it and when you are doing it, you are insane.” David Mamet American playwright, screenwriter, film director and TV series creator David Mamet is well known as the writer of “Glengarry Glen Ross” (1984), which won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Eight years later, he wrote the big screen adaptation of his play that was directed by James Foley and starred Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon. The film version brought Mamet a WGA nomination. He also wrote the plays “America Buffalo,” “A Life in the Theatre,” “Edmond,” “Speed-the-Plow” (received a Tony nomination), “Oleanna,” “Boston Marriage,” “Romance,” “November” and “Race.” Mamet received Academy Award nominations as the screenwriter of “The Verdict” (1982) and “Wag the Dog” (1997). He also won a London Critics Circle Film award for “Homicide” (1991, also a director), an Ajijic International Film Festival Award for “The Winslow Boy” (1999, also a director), and a Florida Film Critics Circle Award and a Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival Award for “State and Main” (2000, also a director). Mamet made an auspicious motion picture directorial debut with “House of Games” (1987), which he also wrote. For his work, he nabbed four Venice Film Festival Awards, a London Critics Circle Film Award and a Golden Globe nomination. Mamet also served as the writer and/or director for “The Untouchables” (1987), “Things Change” (1988), “We're No Angels” (1989), “Hoffa” (1992), “The Spanish Prisoner” (1997), “The Edge” (1997), “Heist” (2001), “Spartan” (2004) and “Redbelt” (2008), among other films. In 2005, Mamet was handed the Laurel Award for Screen Writing Achievement from the Writers Guild of America. Three years later, he won a ShoWest Award for Excellence in Filmmaking from the 2008 ShoWest Convention. Mamet has published a number of books, including “On Directing Film” (1992), “The Village” (1994), “Three Uses of the Knife” (1998), “True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor” (1999), “The Wicked Son: Anti-Semitism, Self-hatred, and the Jews” (2006) and “Bambi Vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business” (2007). Mamet has been married twice. He has two daughters with first wife Lindsay Crouse, whom he was married to from 1977 to 1990. He is currently married to actress Rebecca Pidgeon, whom he married in 1991. They have two children together. Mamet has taught acting at his alma mater, Goddard College, as well as the University of Chicago, the Yale School of Drama and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
Childhood and Family: David Alan Mamet was born on November 30, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents, Bernard Morris Mamet, an attorney, and Lenore June Mamet, an educator, divorced in 1958 when he was 11 years old. David has a younger sister named Lynn Mamet, who is a producer and writer for television shows such as “Law & Order” and “The Unit.” He also has a half brother named Tony Mamet, who is an actor. David attended the progressive Francis W. Parker School in Chicago and later the Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, along with Jonathan Katz and William H. Macy. He received a BA in English from the Goddard College in 1969. He also studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York. On December 21, 1977, David married actress Lindsay Crouse (born on May 12, 1948), but the couple divorced in 1990. They have two daughters, Willa Mamet (born in 1982) and Zosia Mamet (born in February 2, 1988). He then married actress and singer/songwriter Rebecca Pidgeon (born on October 10, 1965) on September 22, 1991. Their first child, daughter Clara Mamet, was born on September 29, 1994. Their second child, son Noah Mamet, was born on February 1, 1999.
Career: David Mamet once worked as a busboy at the Second City improvisational comedy troupe in Chicago. After studying at Vermont's Goddard College and New York's Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, Mamet returned to his hometown of Chicago to form the St. Nicholas Theatre Company in the early 1970s. He also served as the company's artistic director. As a young man, Mamet originally wanted to become an actor, but after his efforts failed, turned to writing and directing. After his first play “Lakeboat” was produced in 1970, Mamet began receiving recognition thanks to the plays “Duck Variations” (1972), “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” (1974) and “America Buffalo” (1975). Premiering at the Goodman Theatre on November 23, 1975, “America Buffalo” starred William H. Macy and was directed by Gregory Mosher. It opened on Broadway on February 16, 1977, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, with John Savage replacing Macy and Ulu Grosbard directing. Following the success of “America Buffalo,” in 1978 Mamet was named artistic director and playwright in residence at Chicago's renowned Goodman Theatre. The next year he made his debut as a television writer with “A Life in the Theatre” (PBS), which he adapted from his play of the same name. Centering on the relationship between two actors, the play “A Life in the Theatre” premiered at the Goodman Theatre in February 1977 with Mike Nussbaum and Joe Mantegna starring as Robert and John, respectively, and Mosher sitting in the director's chair. In the TV adaptation, which was broadcasted on PBS on October 3, 1979, Kirk Browning and Gerald Gutierrez jointly picked up the directing duty and actors Ellis Rabb and Peter Evans portrayed Robert and John, respectively. Mamet made his second TV adaptation of the play in 1993 with Jack Lemmon and Matthew Broderick starring and Mosher taking back his responsibility as the director. Mamet made his screen writing debut with “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1981), an adaptation of a novel by James M. Cain. The film, which was screened out of competition at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival, was helmed by Bob Rafelson and starred Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. He then gained major attention with his script for Sidney Lumet's “The Verdict” (1982), which starred Paul Newman. Based on a novel by Barry Reed, the drama received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. Mamet also picked up a Golden Globe nomination for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture and a Writers Guild of America for Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium for his work on the film. 1982 also saw Mamet's play “Edmond” debut at the Goodman Theatre and in New York. He netted an OBIE Award for the play. After “The Frog Prince” (1983), Mamet enjoyed success with “Glengarry Glen Ross,” which had its world premiere at the National Theatre in London on September 21, 1983, and opened on Broadway on March 25, 1984. The play won the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Joseph Jefferson Award for Play Production as well as a Tony nomination for Best Play. He followed it up with “The Shawl,” “Goldberg Street: Short Plays and Monologues” (both 1985) and “The Poet & The Rent” (1986). In 1985, Mamet founded the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City, along with William H. Macy. A big screen version of his 1970s play “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” called “About Last Night...” was released in 1986 and starred Rob Lowe, Demi Moore and James Belushi. In 1987, Mamet made his feature film directorial debut with “House of Games,” which he also wrote. Starring Lindsay Crouse, Joe Mantegna, Ricky Jay, and J.T. Walsh, the mystery received good reviews from film critics and brought Mamet recognition at the 1987 Venice Film Festival where he received the Cinecritica Award, the Golden Ciak for Best Film, the Golden Osella for Best Original Screenplay, the Pasinetti Award for Best Film and a Golden Lion nomination. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe in the category of Best Screenplay - Motion Picture, and won London Critics Circle Film's 1989 ALFS Award for Screenwriter of the Year. Still in 1987, Mamet provided the script for Brian De Palma's summer hit “The Untouchables,” a drama based on the 1959 TV series of the same title, and made his motion picture acting debut with a role as a poker player named Herb in “Black Widow,” a film starring Debra Winger, Theresa Russell, Sami Frey, and Dennis Hopper. He was nominated for a 1988 WGA Award for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium for “The Untouchables.” In addition, Mamet wrote a book in 1987 titled “Writing in Restaurants.” Mamet next directed “Things Change” (1988), which he also co-wrote with Shel Silverstein. He shared a 1989 Edgar nomination for Best Motion Picture while stars Don Ameche and Joe Mantegna nabbed Volpi Cups at the Venice Film Festival for their performances in the film. Mamet returned to Broadway with “Speed-the-Plow,” which starred Ron Silver, Madonna and Mantegna. The play brought Mamet a Tony nomination for Best Play. He then wrote a one act play called “Bobby Gould in Hell,” which premiered in New York at the Premiere Lincoln Centre in 1989, and provided the screenplay for Neil Jordan's comedy “We're No Angels” (1989), which starred Robert De Niro, Sean Penn and Demi Moore. Mamet wrote a TV film adaptation of Anthony Chekhov's “Uncle Vanya,” which aired on PBS on February 22, 1991, and was directed by longtime friend Mosher. It starred David Warner as Vanya and Ian Holm as Astrov. His current wife Rebecca Pidgeon also appeared in the film as Sonya. Later that same year, he wrote and directed the police thriller “Homicide,” starring Macy, Ving Rhames and Joe Mantegna. The film received a Golden Palm nomination at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival and brought Mamet a 1992 ALFS Award for Screenwriter of the Year. 1992 found “Oleanna,” Mamet's two character play starring Macy and his wife Pidgeon, premiering in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He then adapted “The Water Engine” for TNT, in which he also had a small role, and provided the script for Danny DeVito's “Hoffa” (1992, also an associate producer). He next wrote the big screen adaptation of his 1984 Pulitzer Prize winning play “Glengarry Glen Ross” (1992), for director James Foley. Starring Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon, the film was a hit with critics but failed to attract audiences. Mamet was nominated for a WGA for Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published for “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Returning behind the camera as a director, Mamet helmed Macy in “Oleanna” (1994), a film adaptation of his controversial off-Broadway play of the same name. Macy received an Independent Spirit nomination for Best Male Lead for his performance in the film. The same year, he also provided the adaptation of “Uncle Vanya” that was the basis for Louis Malle's art-house hit “Vanya on 42nd Street,” wrote the script of Treat Williams' short “Texan,” and published his first novel, “The Village.” After earning a Pulitzer Prize nomination for Drama for the play “The Cryptogram” (1995), Mamet wrote the screen adaptation of “American Buffalo” (1996) and directed the HBO special “Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants” (also 1996), which was based on his 1994 play of the same name. In 1997, Mamet joined forces with Hilary Henkin to write the screenplay of “Wag the Dog,” a comedy starring Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman and directed by Barry Levinson. The film brought David and his writing partner an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture, a BAFTA Film nomination for Best Screenplay - Adapted and a WGA nomination for Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. Still in 1997, Mamet wrote “The Edge,” an action film directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, returned to Broadway with “The Old Neighborhood,” and directed and wrote the thriller “The Spanish Prisoner,” which starred Campbell Scott, Steve Martin, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ben Gazzara and Ricky Jay. He nabbed a Chlotrudis nomination for Best Screenplay, an Edgar Alan Poe nomination for Best Motion Picture and an Independent Spirit nomination for Best Screenplay for “The Spanish Prisoner.” Two years later, he helmed and scripted “The Winslow Boy” (1999), based on a play by Terence Rattigan, and served as an executive producer for the TV film “Lansky,” which he also wrote. He picked up a Los Charales Award for Best Studio Feature Film at the 1999 Ajijic International Film Festival for “The Winslow Boy.” As for stage, Mamet penned “Boston Marriage.” During the late 1990s, Mamet also published several books, including “Three Uses of the Knife,” “The Old Religion,” “True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor,” an instructional book on acting, “The Chinaman,” a book of poems, and “Jafsie and John Henry: Essays.” Entering the new millennium, Mamet directed the short film “Catastrophe” and wrote and directed the comedy “State and Main” (both 2000). Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rebecca Pidgeon, the latter film won Mamet a FFCC Award for Best Screenplay, a Jury Award for Best Film at the 2000 Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival and a Chicago Film Critics Association nomination for Best Screenplay, a Chlotrudis nomination for Best Screenplay - Original, an Online Film Critics Society nomination for Best Screenplay and a Golden Satellite nomination for Best Screenplay, Original. He then co-scripted the Ridley Scott directed thriller “Hannibal” (2001) and wrote and directed the movie “Heist” (2001, starred Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito) before taking some time off. In 2004, he returned to film as the director and writer of the political thriller “Spartan,” starring Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, William H. Macy and Kristen Bell. The following year, he wrote the screen adaptation of “Edmond” for director Stuart Gordon and his play “Romance” opened off-Broadway. After directing an episode of “The Shield” (2004), Mamet ventured to television series with “The Unit,” which debuted on CBS on March 7, 2006. He served as the show's creator, producer and frequent writer. “The Unit” aired until May 10, 2009. Mamet returned to feature films in 2008 with the movie “Redbelt,” which he directed and wrote. He revisited Broadway in 2008 with “November,” directed by Joe Mantello and starring Nathan Lane, Laurie Metcalf, Ethan Phillips, Michael Nichols and Dylan Bake. The play received mixed reviews from critics. Recently, he wrote the play “Rice,” which premiered on Broadway in December 2009. Mamet has continued to release books throughout the 2000s, including “Wilson: A Consideration of the Sources” (2000), “The Wicked Son: Anti-Semitism, Self-hatred, and the Jews” (2006) and “Bambi Vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business” (2007). Mamet has signed on to provide the screenplay of Michael Worth's “Come Back to Sorrento” (2010), where he also serves as a producer. He is also co-writing the screenplay for Michael Corrente's drama “The Prince of Providence” (2011).
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