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David Mamet
Mamet in 2008
Mamet in 2008
Born (1947-11-30) November 30, 1947 (age 77)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation
  • Author
  • playwright
  • screenwriter
  • film director
Education Goddard College (BA)
Period 1970–present
Notable works The Duck Variations (1971)
Glengarry Glen Ross (1983)
Spouse
Lindsay Crouse
(m. 1977; div. 1990)
Rebecca Pidgeon
(m. 1991)
Children 4, including Zosia Mamet and Clara Mamet
Signature
David Mamet Signature.svg

David Alan Mamet (born November 30, 1947) is an American writer, filmmaker, and playwright. He is famous for writing plays and movies.

He won a Pulitzer Prize for his play Glengarry Glen Ross. He was also nominated for Tony Awards for Glengarry Glen Ross and Speed-the-Plow. Some of his first well-known plays were The Duck Variations and American Buffalo.

David Mamet has also written and directed many movies. These include House of Games, Homicide, and The Spanish Prisoner. His movie Heist was very popular. He also wrote screenplays for other famous films like The Untouchables and Wag the Dog. He created the TV show The Unit.

Mamet has written many books too. These include books about filmmaking, novels, and essays.

Early Life and School

David Mamet was born in 1947 in Chicago. His mother, Lenore June, was a teacher. His father, Bernard Morris Mamet, was a lawyer. His family was Jewish. His grandparents came from Poland.

When he was young, Mamet worked many different jobs. He was a busboy, an actor, and even a taxi driver. He went to the Francis W. Parker School and Goddard College. He also said the Chicago Public Library was very important for his education.

Later, Mamet met a theater director named Robert Sickinger. This meeting started his long career in theater.

His Career

Theater Work

David Mamet helped start the Atlantic Theater Company. He became well-known in 1976 for his plays The Duck Variations and American Buffalo.

In 1984, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his play Glengarry Glen Ross. This play was brought back to Broadway in 2005. His play Race opened on Broadway in 2009. It starred actors like James Spader and Kerry Washington.

In 2002, Mamet was honored in the American Theater Hall of Fame. He also received a special award for being a "Grand Master of American Theater" in 2010.

In 2017, Mamet offered an online class for writers. It was called David Mamet teaches dramatic writing. In 2019, his new play Bitter Wheat opened in London. It starred John Malkovich. A new play called Henry Johnson is expected to open in Los Angeles.

Film Work

Mamet started his film career by writing screenplays. Later, he began to direct his own scripts.

His first movie script was for The Postman Always Rings Twice in 1981. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his script for The Verdict in 1982. He also wrote The Untouchables and Wag the Dog. He got another Academy Award nomination for Wag the Dog.

In 1987, Mamet directed his first movie, House of Games. This film won awards for its script. It starred his wife at the time, Lindsay Crouse. Mamet often worked with the same actors and friends. He said he wanted their support for his first directing job.

After House of Games, he directed more films about con artists. These include The Spanish Prisoner (1997) and Heist (2001). Heist was his most successful movie.

Other films he wrote and directed are Things Change (1988) and Homicide (1991). He also directed Oleanna (1994) and State and Main (2000).

When Mamet turned his play Glengarry Glen Ross into a movie in 1992, he added a new part for actor Alec Baldwin.

Mamet likes to tell stories visually in his films. He believes movies should show things rather than just tell them. He tries to use less talking and more action to move the story forward.

In 2023, it was reported that Mamet would direct a new film called Assassination. It is about the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Famous actors like Viggo Mortensen and Al Pacino are expected to star in it. Later, Barry Levinson took over as director, but Mamet remained the writer.

In 2024, Mamet said he is writing a film inspired by the life of Hunter Biden. The movie is called The Prince.

Books He Wrote

Mamet has written many books. In 1986, he published a collection of essays called Writing in Restaurants. He also wrote a poetry book, The Hero Pony.

He has written four novels: The Village (1994), The Old Religion (1997), Wilson: A Consideration of the Sources (2000), and Chicago (2018). He also wrote non-fiction books and stories for children.

In 2011, Mamet wrote The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture. This book shares his thoughts on culture and politics. In 2023, he wrote Everywhere an Oink Oink. This book tells about his experiences working in Hollywood for 40 years.

TV and Radio Work

Mamet wrote an episode for the TV show Hill Street Blues in 1987. His wife at the time, Lindsay Crouse, was in that episode.

He also created and produced the TV series The Unit. He often wrote episodes for this show. He even directed two TV commercials for Ford Motor Company. His sister, Lynn Mamet, is also a TV writer and producer.

Mamet has also created several plays for BBC Radio. These include an adaptation of Glengarry Glen Ross.

His Personal Life

David Mamet was married to actress Lindsay Crouse from 1977 to 1990. They have two children together. Since 1991, he has been married to actress and singer Rebecca Pidgeon. They also have two children. Mamet and Pidgeon live in Santa Monica, California.

Mamet is a Reform Jew and supports Israel.

Works

Plays (selected)

  • Lakeboat (1970)
  • The Duck Variations (1972)
  • American Buffalo (1975)
  • A Life in the Theatre (1977)
  • The Woods (1977)
  • Edmond (1982)
  • Glengarry Glen Ross (1983)
  • Speed-the-Plow (1988)
  • Oleanna (1992)
  • The Cryptogram (1994)
  • Boston Marriage (1999)
  • Faustus (2004)
  • Romance (2005)
  • November (2007)
  • Race (2009)
  • The Anarchist (2012)
  • China Doll (2015)
  • The Penitent (2017)
  • Bitter Wheat (2019)
  • Henry Johnson (2023)

Movies

Year Title Director Writer Notes
1981 The Postman Always Rings Twice No Yes
1982 The Verdict No Yes
1987 The Untouchables No Yes
House of Games Yes Yes
1988 Things Change Yes Yes
1991 Homicide Yes Yes
1992 Glengarry Glen Ross No Yes Also based on his play
Hoffa No Yes
1994 Oleanna Yes Yes Also based on his play
1996 American Buffalo No Yes
1997 The Spanish Prisoner Yes Yes
The Edge No Yes
Wag the Dog No Yes
1998 Ronin No Yes Credited as "Richard Weisz"
1999 The Winslow Boy Yes Yes
2000 Lakeboat No Yes Also based on his play
State and Main Yes Yes
2001 Hannibal No Yes
Heist Yes Yes
2004 Spartan Yes Yes
2005 Edmond No Yes Also based on his play
2008 Redbelt Yes Yes
2023 The Penitent No Yes Also based on his play
TBA The Prince No Yes Filming

Short films (selected)

Year Title Director Writer
2000 Catastrophe Yes No
2010 Inside the Actor's Workshop Yes Yes
The Marquee Yes Yes
Our Valley Yes Yes
Two Painters Yes Yes

Television

Year Title Director Writer Executive
Producer
Notes
1987 Hill Street Blues No Yes No TV Series
Episode "A Wasted Weekend"
1992 The Water Engine No Yes No TV Movie
Also based on his play
1993 A Life in the Theatre No Yes Yes
1994 Texan No Yes No TV Movie
1996 Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants Yes No No TV Special
1999 Lansky No Yes Yes TV Movie
2004 The Shield Yes No No TV Series
Episode "Strays"
2006-2009 The Unit Yes Yes Yes TV Series; also creator
Directed 4 episodes and wrote 11 episodes
2013 Phil Spector Yes Yes Yes TV Movie

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Black Widow Herb Theatrical feature film
1992 The Water Engine Brown Haired Man TV Movie
1996 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Himself (voice) TV animated series
Episode: "New Telephone System"
2011 The Simpsons TV animated series
Episode: "Homer the Father"
2023 Beau is Afraid Rabbi (voice) Theatrical feature film

Awards and Nominations

Association Year Category Project Result Ref.
Theater Awards
Drama Desk Awards 1977 Outstanding Play American Buffalo Nominated
1978 The Water Engine Nominated
1983
Edmond Nominated
1984 Glengarry Glen Ross Nominated
1988 Speed-the-Plow Nominated
1993 Oleanna Nominated
1995 The Cryptogram Nominated
New York Drama Critics' Circle 1977 Best American Play American Buffalo Won
1984 Glengarry Glen Ross Won
Pulitzer Prize 1984 Drama Glengarry Glen Ross Won
1995 The Cryptogram Nominated
Tony Awards 1984 Best Play Glengarry Glen Ross Nominated
1988 Speed-the-Plow Nominated
Film and Television Awards
Academy Awards 1982 Best Adapted Screenplay The Verdict Nominated
1997 Wag the Dog Nominated
British Academy Film Awards 1998 Best Adapted Screenplay Wag the Dog Nominated
Golden Globe Awards 1983 Best Screenplay The Verdict Nominated
1987 House of Games Nominated
1997 Wag the Dog Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards 2013 Outstanding Miniseries or Movie Phil Spector Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or Movie Nominated

See also

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