David Newman
David Newman was an influential American screenwriter and playwright, best known for his collaboration on the screenplay of the 1967 film "Bonnie and Clyde," alongside Robert Benton. Born in 1937 in New York City, Newman pursued higher education at the University of Michigan, where he earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree before embarking on a career in writing and editing. His work at Esquire magazine led to a partnership with Benton, with whom he co-created the "Man Talk" column and the Dubious Achievement Award, recognizing mediocrity in various fields.
Despite the initial mixed critical reception of "Bonnie and Clyde," which was praised for its storytelling but critiqued for its portrayal of violence, the film garnered significant accolades, including a Writers Guild of America award for Best Screenplay and nominations for other prestigious awards. Following this success, Newman worked on several other projects, including screenplays for Superman films and the play "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman." He received a Tony Award nomination in 1997 for his work on the musical "The Life." Newman passed away from a stroke in 2003, leaving behind a legacy marked by his contributions to American cinema and theater.
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David Newman
- Born: February 4, 1937
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: June 27, 2003
- Place of death: New York, New York
Biography
David Newman catapulted into fame in 1967 with the release of the film Bonnie and Clyde, on which he collaborated on the screenplay with Robert Benton. The success of this gripping account of the exploits of the infamous Clyde Barrow and his moll, Bonnie Parker, landed Newman and Benton a three-film contract with Warner Bros. studios, which they fulfilled with their screenplays for the unproduced Hubba, Hubba: Or, Will the Big Bands Ever Come Back? and for There Was a Crooked Man and What’s Up, Doc?, neither of them raving successes. In fact, nothing Benton and Newman wrote after Bonnie and Clyde received the favorable popular acceptance of their account of the exploits and eventual downfall of the notorious bank robbers from the era of America’s Great Depression.
Newman was born in 1937 in New York City. Following high school, he attended the University of Michigan, where he received his B.A. in 1958. He remained at Michigan the following year to earn his master’s degree and then returned to New York. In 1960, he became an editor for Esquire magazine.
It was at Esquire that Newman met Benton, with whom he collaborated initially on the magazine’s popular “Man Talk” column. The two also dreamed up the idea of establishing the Dubious Achievement Award, a tongue-in-cheek recognition of mediocrity and bungling. This award has become a permanent feature of the magazine.
Newman and Benton also collaborated on Extremism: A Non Book, published in 1964, and on a play, It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman, produced on Broadway in 1966. Newman and his wife, Leslie Newman, later wrote three Superman films after writer Mario Puzo enlisted Leslie’s aid in writing the screenplay for the first film in the series, which was released in 1978 and featured actor Christopher Reeve in the title role. When Puzo declined to work on the third Superman film, the Newmans handled the screenwriting duties.
Despite the popular acceptance of Bonnie and Clyde, the film initially was not a critical success. It was attacked by critics for the lighthearted spirit with which it treated a serious topic. Some critics pointed out that it made violence and illegality seem exciting, even romantic. These caveats notwithstanding, Bonnie and Clyde received the most important awards available for films, including the Writers Guild of America for Best Screenplay. The film also received a New York Film Critics Award and a National Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay and was nominated for an Academy Award. The American Film Institute later included Bonnie and Clyde on its list of the One Hundred Best American Films of the Twentieth Century.
Newman went on to write the screenplay for the Dudley Moore film, Santa Clause: The Movie. In 1997, his script for the playThe Life received a Tony Award nomination for Best Book for a Musical. Newman suffered a fatal stroke in New York City in 2003.