Arthur Laurents
A sharp-witted playwright and screenwriter who gave Broadway some of its most enduring musicals, from 'West Side Story' to 'Gypsy'.
1918–2011 (age 93)·American playwright, theatre director and screenwriter·Birthday: July 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Arthur Laurents possessed a singular talent for crafting narratives of searing emotion and psychological complexity, often centered on outsiders. Born in Brooklyn, he found early success as a radio writer before serving in the Army during WWII, an experience that informed his gripping wartime drama 'Home of the Brave.' His career skyrocketed when he wrote the book for 'West Side Story,' translating 'Romeo and Juliet' into the gritty, poetic vernacular of New York street gangs. He repeated the feat with 'Gypsy,' turning the memoirs of a stripper into a masterful exploration of showbiz ambition and maternal ferocity. Laurents was a man of strong convictions, blacklisted for a time during the McCarthy era and later becoming an outspoken voice for gay rights. His direction of revivals of his own works late in life proved he was a relentless reviser, always seeking a deeper, truer emotional core.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Arthur was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arthur Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Arthur's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2011Died at 93
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
Key Achievements
- He wrote the books for the landmark musicals 'West Side Story' (1957) and 'Gypsy' (1959).
- He wrote the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller 'Rope' (1948).
- He won Tony Awards for directing the revivals of 'Gypsy' (1975) and 'La Cage aux Folles' (1984).
- He received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay for 'The Turning Point' (1977).
Did You Know?
He was in a long-term relationship with actor Tom Hatcher for over five decades.
He was openly critical of some productions of his own works, including the 1961 film of 'West Side Story.'
He wrote his first Broadway play, 'Home of the Brave,' in just nine days.
He directed the original Broadway production of 'La Cage aux Folles,' helping to bring a gay-themed musical to mainstream success.
“The great trick in writing is to make what is carefully planned seem spontaneous.”
