David Mamet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Mamet
Mamet in 2008
Born	(1947-11-30) November 30, 1947 (age 77) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Playwright author screenwriter film director
Education	Goddard College (BA)
Period	1970–present
Notable works	The Duck Variations (1971) ... in Chicago (1974) Glengarry Glen Ross (1983)
Spouse	Lindsay Crouse ​ ​ (m. 1977; div. 1990)​ Rebecca Pidgeon ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	4, including Zosia Mamet and Clara Mamet
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David Alan Mamet (born November 30, 1947) is a famous American writer and filmmaker. He is best known for writing plays, books, and movies.

Mamet won a Pulitzer Prize, a very high honor for writing, for his play Glengarry Glen Ross. He also received Tony Award nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross (1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988). He first became well-known for his plays in the 1970s, including The Duck Variations and American Buffalo.

As a filmmaker, Mamet has both written and directed many movies. These include House of Games (1987), Homicide (1991), and Heist (2001), which was a big success. He also wrote the screenplays for major films like The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), The Verdict (1982), and The Untouchables (1987).

Besides plays and movies, Mamet has written many books. His books cover different topics, from how to direct movies to stories about war.

Early Life and Education

David Mamet was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1947. His mother, Lenore, was a teacher, and his father, Bernard, was a lawyer who worked with labor unions. His family is Jewish, with grandparents who came from Poland.

Mamet said his parents were communists, and he described himself as a "red diaper baby," a term for children of parents who were strong supporters of communism.

As a young man, he had several jobs. He worked as a busboy in restaurants, an actor, and even a taxi driver. He went to the Francis W. Parker School and later Goddard College in Vermont. However, Mamet often said that his real education came from the Chicago Public Library. He loved spending time in the third-floor reading room.

Career in Writing and Film

Theater Work

Mamet is one of the founders of the Atlantic Theater Company. He became famous in 1976 with three popular plays: The Duck Variations, ... in Chicago, and American Buffalo.

In 1984, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his play Glengarry Glen Ross. This play is one of his most famous works. Over the years, he has written many other plays that have been performed on Broadway and in other theaters. Some of these include Race (2009) and The Anarchist (2012).

For his great contributions to American theater, Mamet was added to the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2002. He also offers an online class where he teaches people how to write for the stage.

Film Career

Mamet started his film career as a screenwriter. His first screenplay to be made into a movie was The Postman Always Rings Twice in 1981. He earned an Academy Award nomination for writing the movie The Verdict (1982). He also wrote the scripts for hit movies like The Untouchables (1987) and Wag the Dog (1997), which earned him a second Oscar nomination.

In 1987, Mamet directed his first film, House of Games, which he also wrote. He went on to direct other films he wrote, such as The Spanish Prisoner (1997) and Heist (2001).

When his play Glengarry Glen Ross was made into a movie in 1992, Mamet wrote a new part just for the actor Alec Baldwin. This part included a now-famous speech. Mamet often works with the same group of actors in his films, including his wife, Rebecca Pidgeon.

Books and Other Writing

Mamet is also a successful author of books. In 1991, he wrote On Directing Film, where he shares his ideas about filmmaking. He has also written novels, such as The Village (1994) and Chicago (2018).

He has written children's stories and books about acting, like True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor (1997). In 2011, he wrote The Secret Knowledge, a book where he explained how his political ideas changed over time.

Television and Radio

Mamet has also worked in television. He created and produced the TV series The Unit, which was about a U.S. Army special forces team and aired from 2006 to 2009. He also wrote and directed for the show.

He has written several plays for BBC Radio in the United Kingdom. This includes a radio version of Glengarry Glen Ross and original comedies and dramas.

Personal Life and Views

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

Political Views

Over the years, Mamet's political views have changed. He once described himself as a "brain-dead liberal" but later explained in a 2008 essay why he had become a conservative. A liberal generally supports more government social programs, while a conservative often prefers less government involvement and more individual freedom.

Mamet has said he agrees with the ideas of free-market thinkers like Friedrich Hayek and Thomas Sowell. In 2012, he supported Mitt Romney for president. In 2020, he said he thought Donald Trump was a "great president." He has also spoken in favor of the right to own guns.

Selected Works

Famous Plays

• The Duck Variations (1972)
• ... in Chicago (1974)
• American Buffalo (1975)
• A Life in the Theatre (1977)
• Glengarry Glen Ross (1983)
• Speed-the-Plow (1988)
• Oleanna (1992)
• Boston Marriage (1999)
• Race (2009)
• China Doll (2015)

Famous Films

See also

In Spanish: David Mamet para niños