William Goldman
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
His sometime pseudonym of Harry Longbaugh is the real name of one of his favorite historical personalities, the Sundance Kid.
"If all you do is write screenplays, then it becomes denigrating to the soul." --William Goldman, quoted in David Thomson's "A Biographical Dictionary of Film"
Biography
One of the most celebrated writers to make a name for himself in both literature and film, William Goldman was born in Highland Park, Illinois in 1931. He would enroll at Oberlin College, where a creative writing class awakened his desire to become an author, and soon began submitting short stories for publication. Shortly after obtaining an MFA from Columbia University in 1956, Goldman published his first novel, the coming of age tale The Golden Temple. Soon he was off and running, publishing books like Soldier in the Rain and Boys and Girls Together. In 1965, Goldman was tapped to rewrite the script for the film "Masquerade" (1965), and soon, screenwriting became an integral component of his career. After his screenplay for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969) became a huge success, Goldman published the highly unusual and highly praised fantasy novel The Princess Bride in 1973. He would go on to publish the thriller Marathon Man, adapting it into a hit film in 1976 before penning another lauded script, adapting Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's All the President's Men into a landmark feature film. Goldman's 1983 memoir Adventures in the Screen Trade would become a de facto guidebook for young writers in the industry, and his reputation only became stronger when he adapted The Princess Bride into a blockbuster hit in 1987. Goldman would concentrate on screenwriting for the following decades, notably adapting a number of Stephen King novels for the screen including Misery and Dreamcatcher. William Goldman died in November 2018. He was 87 years old.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Special Thanks (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1952
Served as a corporal in the US Army
1957
Wrote first novel, "The Temple of Gold"
1961
First play produced on Broadway, "Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole"; written with brother James
1962
With brother, co-wrote book for the ill-fated Broadway musical, "A Family Affair"; score by John Kander and James Goldman
1963
First novel to be turned into film, "Soldier in the Rain"
1965
First screenwriting credit: doctored script by "Americanizing" Michael Relph's screenplay for "Masquerade" when Cliff Robertson replaced Rex Harrison in the cast
1965
Hired to write first screenplay, a treatment of the teleplay and short novel "Flowers for Algernon" for Cliff Robertson; did not complete project (date approximate)
1966
Adapted the Ross MacDonald novel "The Moving Target" as "Harper", a vehicle for Paul Newman
1969
Established screenwriting credentials with an Academy Award-winning original script for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", directed by George Roy Hill and starring Newman and Robert Redford
1972
Scripted "The Hot Rock", adapted from Donald E Westlake's novel; film starred Redford
1975
Reteamed with director Hill and star Redford for the period comedy-drama "The Great Waldo Pepper"
1976
Wrote film adaptation of own thriller "Marathon Man"
1976
Won second Oscar for adaptation of "All the President's Men" for producer-star Redford
1977
First collaboration with Richard Attenborough, the WWII drama "A Bridge Too Far"
1978
Adapted his novel "Magic" for the screen; directed by Attenborough
1979
First work for TV, the CBS miniseries "Mr. Horn", starring David Carradine; originally written as a film vehicle for Redford and later Steve McQueen
1987
Adapted his novel, "The Princess Bride", to the screen; directed by Rob Reiner
1990
Wrote screenplay for "Misery", based on the Stephen King novel; film directed by Reiner and starred Kathy Bates in her Oscar-winning role
1992
First original screenplay in over 20-years "Year of the Comet"
1992
Collaborated on screenplay for Attenborough's biopic "Chaplin"
1994
Provided screenplay for Richard Donner's "Maverick"
1997
Wrote script for Clint Eastwood's "Absolute Power", adapted from the novel by David Baldacci
1999
Contributed to the screenplay adaptation of Nelson DeMille's best-seller "The General's Daughter"
2001
Penned the script for "Hearts in Atlantis", adapted from a Stephen King book
2003
Adapted another Stephen King novel, "Dreamcatcher," for director Lawrence Kasdan
2015
Adapted his novel <i>Heat</i> into a film starring Jason Statham.
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
His sometime pseudonym of Harry Longbaugh is the real name of one of his favorite historical personalities, the Sundance Kid.
"If all you do is write screenplays, then it becomes denigrating to the soul." --William Goldman, quoted in David Thomson's "A Biographical Dictionary of Film"
