David Williamson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Williamson AO
Williamson in 1972
Born	David Keith Williamson 1942 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation	Playwright, screenwriter
Language	English
Genre	Theatre, film, television

David Williamson (born in 1942) is a famous Australian writer. He writes plays for the stage, movies (screenplays), and TV shows (teleplays). He became well-known in the early 1970s with his play Don's Party. Some of his other popular works include The Club, Travelling North, and Emerald City.

Early Life and Education

David Williamson was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1942. He grew up in a town called Bairnsdale.

Starting University Life

He first went to the University of Melbourne in 1960. There he studied mechanical engineering. But he later left that course. In 1965, he earned a degree in engineering from Monash University.

Early Steps in Theatre

While at university, David started acting and writing funny skits. He performed these for student shows. He also wrote for a theatre company called Emerald Hill.

Becoming a Lecturer

After a short time working for Holden cars, Williamson became a teacher. In 1966, he taught mechanical engineering at Swinburne University of Technology. At the same time, he studied social psychology at the University of Melbourne. He earned a Master's degree in Psychology in 1970. He continued teaching social psychology at Swinburne until 1972.

David Williamson's Writing Career

David Williamson began writing and performing plays in 1967. He worked with theatre groups like La Mama and the Pram Factory. He became very famous in the early 1970s.

Famous Early Works

Some of his important early plays include Don's Party (1971). This play was later made into a movie in 1976. Another key play was The Removalists (1971). He also helped write movie scripts for Gallipoli (1981) and The Year of Living Dangerously (1982).

Themes in His Plays

Williamson's plays often explore themes like politics, loyalty, and family life. They are usually set in modern Australian cities. Many of his stories take place in Melbourne and Sydney.

Major Stage Plays

Some of his most well-known stage plays are:

• The Club
• The Department
• Travelling North
• The Perfectionist
• Emerald City
• Money and Friends
• Brilliant Lies

Later Works

More recent plays include Dead White Males. This play makes fun of some ideas in universities. Up for Grabs was another play, which even starred the singer Madonna in its London show. He also wrote the Jack Manning Trilogy. These plays explored a new way of solving problems called "community conferencing."

In recent years, he has written for both big and small theatres. He has premiered plays with the Sydney Theatre Company and the Ensemble Theatre.

Health and Retirement News

In 2005, David Williamson said he would stop writing for main-stage productions. He had some health issues, but an operation helped him. In 2009, he had a mild stroke, but he recovered completely. Even after his announcement, he has continued to write new plays. Many of these have been performed at the Ensemble Theatre.

In 2007, he wrote Lotte's Gift. This was a one-woman show starring Karin Schaupp. It told the story of Karin's life and her family.

His Memoir

In 2021, David Williamson published his memoir, Home Truths. A memoir is a book about a person's own life. A reviewer said he seemed like a "likeable, flawed fellow."

Other Activities

David Williamson helped start the Noosa Long Weekend Festival. This is a cultural festival in Noosa, Queensland, where he lives.

In 2006, he was the campaign manager for Cate Molloy. She was trying to get re-elected to the Queensland Parliament.

Personal Life

David Williamson is married to Kristin Williamson. They have homes in Sydney and on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. They have five adult children.

His son, Rory Williamson, and his stepson, Felix Williamson, are both actors.

Awards and Honours

Plaque in the Sydney Writers Walk series at Circular Quay commemorating David Williamson, with a quote from Emerald City

David Williamson has received many awards for his writing.

• 1971 – British George Devine Award
• 1972 – Australian Writers Guild Awgie Award for best stage play and best script with The Removalists
• 1983 – Appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia. This is a high honour in Australia.
• 1988 – Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Sydney
• 1990 – Honorary Doctor of Letters, Monash University
• 1995 – Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Drama Award for Sanctuary
• 1996 – Chosen to give the first Andrew Olle Media Lecture
• 1996 – Honorary Doctor of Letters, Swinburne University of Technology
• 2004 – Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Queensland
• 2012 – Nominated Senior Australian of the Year

Australian Film Institute Awards

He has won several awards from the Australian Film Institute (AFI) for his screenplays:

• 1977 – AFI Award for Best Screenplay for Don's Party
• 1981 – AFI Award for Best Screenplay for Gallipoli
• 1987 – AFI Award for Best Screenplay for Travelling North
• 2009 – AFI Award for Best Screenplay for Balibo (shared with Robert Connolly)

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards celebrate live entertainment in Australia.

In 2005, Williamson received the JC Williamson Award. This is the highest honour given by Live Performance Australia for a person's life work in live performance.

Writings

Plays (selected)

Screenplays (selected)