Sir Peter Levin Shaffer (born May 15, 1926) is an English dramatist, author of numerous award-winning plays, several of which have been filmed. is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... A dramatist is an author of dramatic compositions, usually plays. ...

Early life

He was born to a hebrew family in London, and is the twin brother died ate the age of 12, Anthony Shaffer. The word Hebrew most likely means to cross over, referring to the Semitic people crossing over the Euphrates River. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Anthony Joshua Shaffer, (May 15, 1926 – November 6, 2001), was a English dramatist. ...

He gained a scholarship to Trinity College, Oxford University to study Art. The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. ...

Shaffer was a Bevin Boy coal miner during WW1 and took a number of jobs including bookstore clerk, and assistant at the New York Public Library, before discovering his dramatic talentsof shoe shining. A Bevin Boy was one of the young British men conscripted to work in coal mines during the Second World War. ...

Theater

Shaffer's first play, The Salt Land (1954) was presented on the BBC. Encouraged by this success, Shaffer continued to write and established his reputation as a playwright in 1958 with the production of Five Finger Exercise which opened in London under the direction of John Gielgud and won the Evening Standard Drama Award. When Five Finger Exercise moved to New York in 1959, it was equally well-received and landed Shaffer the Drama Critics Award. Five Finger Exercise is a 1962 drama film made by Columbia Pictures. ... Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Academy Award-winning British theatre and film actor. ...

Shaffer's canon contains a unique mix of philosophical dramas and satirical comedies. The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1964) presents the tragic conquest of Peru by the Spanish, while Black Comedy (1965) takes a hilarious look at the antics of a group of characters feeling their way around a pitch black room — although the stage is, of course, actually flooded with light. Original London production at the National Theatre The Royal Hunt of the Sun is a 1964 play by Peter Shaffer that portrays the destruction of the Inca empire by conquistador Francisco Pizarro. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled Black comedy and List of black comedies, accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

Equus (1973) won Shaffer the 1975 Tony Award for Best Play as well as the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. An electrifying journey into the mind of a 17-year-old stableboy who had plunged a spike into the eyes of six horses, Equus ran for over 1000 performances on Broadway and has been revived by Massachusetts' Berkshire Theatre Festival in the summer of 2005, staged by Scott Schwartz, with Victor Slezak as Dr Martin Dysart and Randy Harrison as Alan Strang. (Roberta Maxwell, who originated the role of Jill, Alan's would-be girlfriend, in the original Broadway production in the 1970s, played a judge in this revival.) and in 2007, with Richard Griffiths and Daniel Radcliffe in the leading roles. The play was directed by Thea Sharrock, and opened in London in February 2007 at the Gielgud Theatre. The casting of Radcliffe, still associated with films intended for general audiences, caused some major controversy, since the role of Alan Strang required him to appear naked on stage.^[1] Cover of 1993 Longman edition of Equus. ... What is popularly called the Tony Award (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award celebrating achievements in live American theater, including musical theater, primarily honoring productions on Broadway in New York. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Scott Schwartz was a child actor most famous for playing opposite Richard Pryor in 1982s The Toy. ... Victor Slezak (born July 30, 1957, in Youngstown, Ohio) is an American stage and screen actor who has appeared in films including The Bridges of Madison County (1995), Beyond Rangoon (1995), The Devils Own (1997), The Siege (1998),The Cats Meow (2001), Timequest (2002), and The Notorious Bettie... Randolph Clarke Harrison (known as Randy Harrison, born November 2, 1977 in Nashua, New Hampshire) is an American actor whose best-known role so far is that of Justin Taylor in the 2000s television drama Queer as Folk. ... Roberta Maxwell (born 1942 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian actress. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Richard Griffiths (born 31 July 1947) is a Tony award winning English actor who has appeared on stage, film and television. ... Daniel Jacob Radcliffe[1] (born 23 July 1989) is an English film, television and stage actor. ... Thea Sharrock (born 1976) is an award-winning English theatre director. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... February 2007 is the second month of the year. ... Schillers Don Carlos starring Derek Jacobi as Philip II of Spain at the Gielgud Theatre, February 2005 The Gielgud Theatre, named after British actor John Gielgud, is a West End theatre in Londons Shaftesbury Avenue at the corner of Rupert Street. ...

Shaffer followed this success with Amadeus (1979) which won the Evening Standard Drama Award and the Theatre Critics Award for the London production. Amadeus tells the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and court composer Antonio Salieri who, overcome with jealousy at hearing the "voice of God" coming from an "obscene child," sets out to destroy his rival. When the show moved to Broadway, it won the 1981 Tony Award for Best Play and, like Equus, ran for more than 1000 performances. Playbill, 1981 For other uses, see Amadeus (disambiguation). ... “Mozart” redirects here. ... Antonio Salieri Antonio Salieri (August 18, 1750 – May 7, 1825), was an Italian composer and conductor. ...

Film

Several of Shaffer's plays have been adapted to film, including Five Finger Exercise (1962), The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969), Equus (1977), and Amadeus (1984), which won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture. Five Finger Exercise is a 1962 drama film made by Columbia Pictures. ... Original London production at the National Theatre The Royal Hunt of the Sun is a 1964 play by Peter Shaffer that portrays the destruction of the Inca empire by conquistador Francisco Pizarro. ... Equus is a 1977 film by Sidney Lumet. ... Playbill, 1981 For other uses, see Amadeus (disambiguation). ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; the awards are voted on by other people within the industry. ...

Shaffer received two Academy Award-nominations for adapting his plays "Equus" and "Amadeus" for the big screen. For writing the screenplay for "Equus", he was nominated for the 1977 Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar but the award went to Alvin Sargent, who wrote the screenplay for "Julia". For writing the screenplay for "Amadeus", Shaffer received both the 1984 Best Screenplay Golden Globe and the 1984 Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar.

Peter Shaffer received the William Inge Award for Distinguished Achievement in the American Theater in 1992, was appointed Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Oxford University in 1994, and awarded a Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in the annual New Years Honors (2001).

Selected works

• The Salt Land (1954), his first play, which was presented on BBC television.
• Balance Of Terror (1957)
• The Prodigal Father (1957)
• Five Finger Exercise (1958)
• The Private Ear and The Public Eye (1962)
• The Establishment (1963)
• The Merry Roosters Panto (1963)
• The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1964) which examines the conquest of Peru by the Spanish, and was made into a 1969 film.
• Black Comedy/White Lies (1967)
• The Battle of Shrivings (1970)
• Equus (1973), based on the real-life story of a teenage stable-boy who blinded several horses, won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, and was made into a 1977 film.
• Amadeus (1979) which tells a fictional story of how court composer Antonio Salieri attempted to destroy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart of whom he was jealous, and also won a Tony Award for Best Play, in 1981. It was made into a 1984 film, which won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture.
• Black Mischief (1983)
• Yonadab (1985)
• Lettice and Lovage (1987)
• This Savage Parade (1987)
• Whom Do I Have The Honour Of Addressing? (1990)
• The Gift of the Gorgon (1992)

Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Balance of Terror, written by Paul Schneider and directed by Vincent McEveety, is a first-season episode of the original Star Trek series that first aired on December 15, 1966. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Five Finger Exercise is a 1962 drama film made by Columbia Pictures. ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Original London production at the National Theatre The Royal Hunt of the Sun is a 1964 play by Peter Shaffer that portrays the destruction of the Inca empire by conquistador Francisco Pizarro. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Black Comedy/White Lies is a play, comprised of two unrelated acts, by Peter Shaffer. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cover of 1993 Longman edition of Equus. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... What is popularly called the Tony Award (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award celebrating achievements in live American theater, including musical theater, primarily honoring productions on Broadway in New York. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Playbill, 1981 For other uses, see Amadeus (disambiguation). ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Antonio Salieri Antonio Salieri (August 18, 1750 – May 7, 1825), was an Italian composer and conductor. ... “Mozart” redirects here. ... What is popularly called the Tony Award (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award celebrating achievements in live American theater, including musical theater, primarily honoring productions on Broadway in New York. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... Lettice and Lovage is a comedic play by Peter Schaffer, author of Equus and Amadeus. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

External link

• Transcript and clips of an interview by Mike Wood for the William Inge Center for the Arts.

References