Profile of Arthur Laurents on Famous Like Me

Arthur Laurents (born July 14, 1918) is an American playwright, novelist, screenwriter, librettist and stage director.

He was born in New York City to a Jewish family. After studying at Cornell University and a stint in the Army, he began writing scripts for radio, and in 1945 wrote his first play, Home of the Brave, a drama set during World War II.

During McCarthyism, Laurents was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses and for several years none of his works were used in film. Other plays by Laurents include Time of the Cuckoo, Invitation to a March, The Enclave, and Jolson Sings Again. He also has written the books for several musicals, including West Side Story, Gypsy, Anyone Can Whistle, and Do I Hear a Waltz?, which was based on his play Time of the Cuckoo. Laurents has directed several Broadway productions as well, including the musicals I Can Get It for You Wholesale and La Cage Aux Folles.

Laurents has also written two novels, The Way We Were, and The Turning Point, both of which became successful films for which Laurents wrote the screenplays. He also wrote the screenplays for Alfred Hitchcock's film Rope, The Snake Pit, and Anastasia.

In 2000 Laurents published a memoir, Original Story By.

Libretti

• Nick & Nora - 1991
• The Madwoman of Central Park West - 1979
• Hallelujah, Baby! - 1967
• Do I Hear a Waltz - 1965
• Anyone Can Whistle - 1964
• Gypsy - 1959
• West Side Story - 1957

Direction

• Anyone Can Whistle - 1964
• La Cage aux Folles - 1983
• The Madwoman of Central Park West - 1979
• Gypsy - 1974
• I Can Get It for You Wholesale - 1962
• Invitation to a March - 1960

Play

• Invitation to a March - 1960
• A Clearing in the Woods - 1957
• The Time of the Cuckoo - 1952
• The Bird Cage - 1950
• Home of the Brave - 1945

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