Steve Tesich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Tesich
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Tesich in 1991
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| Born | Stojan Tešić September 29, 1942 Užice, Nazi-occupied Serbia |
| Died | July 1, 1996 (aged 53) Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada |
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| Nationality | Serb |
| Years active | 1970–1996 |
| Notable works | Karoo |
| Relatives | Nađa Tešić (sister) |
Stojan Steve Tesich (Serbian: Стојан Стив Тешић, Stojan Stiv Tešić) was a talented writer. He wrote movies, plays, and books. Born in Serbia, he later became an American citizen. He won an Oscar in 1979 for his movie Breaking Away.
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Steve Tesich's Early Life
Steve Tesich was born as Stojan Tešić in Užice, a town in what is now Serbia. This was on September 29, 1942. When he was 14 years old, he moved to the United States with his mother and sister. His family settled in East Chicago, Indiana.
Steve went to Indiana University and graduated in 1965. He studied Russian. Later, he continued his studies at Columbia University. He earned a master's degree in Russian Literature in 1967. After college, he worked for a short time helping people in Brooklyn, New York.
Steve Tesich's Writing Career
Steve Tesich started his writing career by creating plays. His first play, The Predators, was shown in New York City in 1969.
Plays for the Stage and TV
In the 1970s, Steve wrote many plays. Some of these were shown at The American Place Theatre in New York. One of his plays, The Carpenters, premiered in 1970. Another play, Baba Goya, was first shown in 1973. This play was later called Nourish the Beast.
Some of Steve's plays were also made into TV shows. The Carpenters was shown on PBS in 1973. It was about a family dealing with problems between generations. Nourish the Beast was also shown on PBS in 1974. This comedy was about a unique family and their challenges.
Winning an Oscar for Breaking Away
Steve Tesich's most famous work is the movie Breaking Away (1979). The idea for this movie came from his own college days. He was part of a bicycle racing team at Indiana University. His friend, Dave Blase, was a key rider on the team. Dave became the inspiration for the main character in the movie.
The movie was a big success! Steve Tesich won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Breaking Away. He also helped create a short TV series based on the movie.
More Movies and Plays
After Breaking Away, Steve Tesich worked on other films. He teamed up again with Peter Yates, the director of Breaking Away, for the thriller Eyewitness in 1981. This movie starred famous actors like Sigourney Weaver and William Hurt.
His next movie, Four Friends, was partly based on his own life. It explored the changes and events of the 1960s. Critics praised his writing for this film.
Steve also wrote the screenplay for The World According to Garp in 1982. This movie was based on a popular book. Many people thought the book would be too hard to turn into a movie. But Steve's screenplay was very well-received. It was even nominated for an award by the Writers Guild of America.
He returned to the world of cycling with his 1985 movie American Flyers. This film was about two brothers who enter a challenging bicycle race. His last movie screenplay was for Eleni in 1985.
His Novels and New Words
Steve Tesich also wrote novels. His book Karoo was published after he passed away in 1998. It was praised by critics and became a popular book.
Interestingly, Steve Tesich is credited with using the term "post-truth" for the first time. This word describes situations where feelings and personal beliefs are more important than facts in shaping public opinion. "Post-truth" was even chosen as Oxford's Word of the Year in 2016!
Steve Tesich's Death
Steve Tesich passed away on July 1, 1996, in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was 53 years old. He died after having a heart attack.
Awards and Recognitions
Steve Tesich received many awards for his writing:
- In 1973, he won an award for being a promising playwright for his play Baba Goya.
- For his movie Breaking Away in 1979, he won several awards:
- The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
- The National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay.
- The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay.
- The Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Screenplay.
- Screenwriter of the Year from the London Critics Circle Film Awards in 1981.
- He was also nominated for a Golden Globe award in 1980.
In 2005, an award was created in his honor. The Stojan—Steve Tešić Award is given every year to writers of Serbian origin who write in other languages.
Steve Tesich's Works
Movies
- Breaking Away (1979)
- Eyewitness (1981)
- Four Friends (1981)
- The World According to Garp (1982)
- American Flyers (1985)
- Eleni (1985)
TV Shows
- The Carpenters (1973)
- Nourish the Beast (1974)
- Apple Pie (1978)
- Breaking Away (1980-1981)
Plays
- The Predators (1969)
- The Carpenters (1970)
- Lake of the Woods (1971)
- Nourish the Beast (also known as Baba Goya) (1973)
- Gorky (1975)
- Passing Game (1977)
- Touching Bottom (1978)
- Division Street (1980)
- The Speed Of Darkness (1989)
- Square One (1990)
- The Road (1990)
- Baptismal (1990)
- On the Open Road (1992)
- Arts & Leisure (1996)
Novels
- Summer Crossing (1982)
- Karoo (1996, published in 1998)
Books Based on His Work
- Breaking Away. A novel by Joseph Howard. Based on a screenplay by Steve Tesich. (1979)
- Eyewitness. A Mystery by John Minahan. Based on a Screenplay written by Steve Tesich. (1981)
- Four Friends: A Novel by Robert Grossbach. Based on the Motion Picture Written by Steven Tesich. (1982)
Images for kids
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Tesich in 1991
