James Goldman
James A. Goldman was an accomplished American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist known for his sharp wit and historical narratives. A prodigy, he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Chicago at a remarkably young age and later pursued a master's degree. His academic journey was interrupted by military service during the Korean War, after which he dedicated himself to writing. Goldman gained initial recognition with his play "They Might Be Giants," which later achieved success as a film.
His most renowned work, "The Lion in Winter," satirizes the tumultuous dynamics of King Henry II’s family, though it initially flopped on Broadway. However, the subsequent film adaptation garnered him an Academy Award. Collaborating with Stephen Sondheim, Goldman also wrote the book for the acclaimed musical "Follies." His body of work includes notable historical screenplays like "Nicholas and Alexandra" and "Robin and Marian," as well as various television adaptations. Throughout his career, Goldman demonstrated a keen interest in history and human relationships, leaving a lasting impact on American theater and film.
On this Page
Subject Terms
James Goldman
Writer
- Born: June 30, 1927
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
- Died: October 28, 1998
- Place of death: New York, New York
Biography
James A. Goldman, the son of M. Clarence and Marion Weil Goldman, was something of a prodigy. He entered the University of Chicago at an early age and, in 1947, before he was twenty, had received a bachelor of philosophy degree from that institution. He continued his studies there, receiving a master’s degree in 1950. He then entered a doctoral program in history at Columbia University in New York City, but his studies there were disrupted when he was conscripted to serve for two years in the United States Army during the Korean War.
Upon being discharged from the Army, Goldman decided to become a full-time writer. After two collaborations, Goldman produced his first play that was not a collaboration, They Might Be Giants, in 1961. This satire on the zaniness of life in Manhattan had its premiere in London, where it was received with some restraint. A decade later, however, when it was made into a film starring George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward, it enjoyed considerable success.
In 1962, Goldman married but was divorced ten years later. In 1975, he married Barbara Deren, a literary agent who was instrumental in placing much of his writing. Goldman’s best-known play, The Lion in Winter, satirized quite brutally the reign of King Henry II, his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their three ambitious sons, who were all struggling to grasp royal power during the thirteenth century. When the play opened on Broadway in 1966, it was a complete failure and closed quickly.
Despite this inauspicious reception, Goldman rewrote the play as a filmscript, as he had done earlier with They Might Be Giants. As with the earlier play, the film version (starring Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn) was such a rousing success that in 1969 it brought Goldman an Academy Award for Best Filmscript as well as an American Screenwriters Award and a British Screenwriters Award.
Goldman next joined forces with Stephen Sondheim and wrote the book for the musical Follies in 1971. This production, a runaway hit on Broadway, earned Goldman a Drama Critics Award for Best Musical and did much to solidify his already impressive reputation. While he was working on the book for Follies, Goldman, who always had a strong interest in history, was also doing the research that led to his screenplay Nicholas and Alexandra, an epic 1971 production that details the last days of the Russian royal family.
He followed this with another historical screenplay in 1976, Robin and Marian, a satirical rendition of the reunion between Robin Hood and Maid Marian two decades after the traditional Robin Hood story leaves off. Meanwhile, Goldman was writing a historical novel, published in 1980, about King John, Myself as Witness.
Goldman also produced notable television scripts, an adaptation of Oliver Twist that aired in 1982, and a version of Anna Karenina that aired in 1985. His script for the miniseries Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna Anderson was produced in 1986.