Irwin Shaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irwin Shaw
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Shaw in 1948
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| Born | Irwin Gilbert Shamforoff February 27, 1913 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 16, 1984 (aged 71) Davos, Switzerland |
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| Notable works | Bury the Dead (1936) The Young Lions (1948) Rich Man, Poor Man (1969) Beggarman, Thief (1977) |
| Notable awards | O. Henry Award (1944, 1945) National Institute of Arts and Letters Grant (1946) Honorary Doctorate, Brooklyn College |
| Spouse | Marian Edwards (1916–1996) |
Irwin Shaw (February 27, 1913 – May 16, 1984) was a famous American writer. He wrote plays, movies, novels, and short stories. His books sold over 14 million copies!
He is best known for two of his novels. One is The Young Lions (1948). It tells the story of three soldiers during World War II. This book was later made into a movie starring Marlon Brando.
His other famous novel is Rich Man, Poor Man (1970). This book follows the lives of two brothers and their sister after World War II. It became a very popular TV miniseries in 1976.
Contents
About Irwin Shaw
Irwin Shaw was born Irwin Gilbert Shamforoff in The Bronx, New York. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Ukraine. Soon after he was born, his family moved to Brooklyn.
He changed his last name to Shaw when he went to college. He studied at Brooklyn College and graduated in 1934.
In 1935, when he was 21, he started writing movie scripts. In 1939, he married Marian Edwards, who was an actress. They had one son, Adam Shaw, who also became a writer.
During World War II, Irwin Shaw joined the United States Army. He worked with a film unit, helping to make movies for the Army. After the war, he went back to being a full-time writer.
Irwin Shaw passed away in Davos, Switzerland, on May 16, 1984. He was 71 years old.
His Writing Career
Early Drama and Radio
In the 1930s, Irwin Shaw wrote scripts for many radio shows. These included popular shows like Dick Tracy. He even wrote about this time in his short story "Main Currents of American Thought."
His first play was Bury the Dead in 1936. It was a unique play about soldiers who refused to be buried after they died in battle. He also wrote for several films in the 1940s. These included The Talk of the Town.
Novels and TV Shows
Irwin Shaw's first novel, The Young Lions, came out in 1948. It was based on his own experiences during World War II. The book was a huge success and was later made into a movie.
In 1951, he published The Troubled Air. This novel explored the difficult time of McCarthyism in America. During this period, some people were wrongly accused of being communists. Because of these accusations, Irwin Shaw was put on the Hollywood blacklist. This meant movie studios would not hire him.
So, in 1951, he moved to Europe. He lived there for 25 years, mostly in Paris and Switzerland. He continued to write many bestselling books while living abroad.
Some of his other popular novels include Lucy Crown (1956) and Two Weeks in Another Town (1960). His novel Rich Man, Poor Man (1970) was a massive hit. It was turned into a very successful TV miniseries in 1976. This miniseries won many awards. He later wrote a follow-up novel called Beggarman, Thief.
His last two novels were Bread Upon the Waters (1981) and Acceptable Losses (1982).
Short Stories
Irwin Shaw was also very well-known for his short stories. He wrote for famous magazines like The New Yorker and The Saturday Evening Post. Many of his best stories were collected in a book called Short Stories: Five Decades.
Some of his most famous short stories are "Sailor Off The Bremen" and "The Eighty-Yard Run." Three of his stories were even made into TV dramas for the PBS series Great Performances.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout his life, Irwin Shaw received several important awards. He won two O. Henry Awards for his short stories. He also received a grant from the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
Major Works
Novels
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Plays
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See also
In Spanish: Irwin Shaw para niños
