"George S. Kaufam wrote some of the most successful and memorable plays of the American theater of the 1920s and 1930s. In the years since his death in 1961, his reputation has grown ever stronger, as theaters all over the United States and Europe have mounted new productions of his works. Here is the first full critical biography of this comic genius. In words and pictures Malcolm Goldstein treats Kaufman's life and career in depth, relating him to the theater of his time. From the twenties, to the fifties, Kaufman wrote, in collaboration with several writers, notably Moss Hart, some forty plays, of which twenty-five were hits including The Man Who came to Dinner, You Can't Take It With You, Once in a Lifetime, and The Royal Family. Goldstein gives behind-the -scenes commentary on the production of the plays and shows how they helped set the style of the Broadway comedy theater. Kaufman also directed many successful Broadway shows and wrote the Marx Brother's film classic, A Night at the Opera. Late in his life he appeared regularly on television on This Is Show Business. Kaufman was a meticulous, dedicated craftsman as both writer and director, and he led a full life among his peers on Broadway and in Hollywood. In addition, he was one of the great wits of his day, a founder of the Algonquin Round Table whose circle included Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, Alexander Woollcott and Heywood Broun. On the basis of extensive interviews with Kaufman's family and friends, letters and other unpublished documents, as well as accounts of his life and work published in newspapers and elsewhere during his life time, Goldstein paints an entertaining and sympathetic portrait of Kaufman-the hypochondriac who shied away from shaking hands (to avoid germs), whose moods shifted wildly from friendliness to disdain, from agonized self-doubt to elation, the 'workaholic' who nevertheless "had a way with the ladies". This book will stand as the basic biography of a major comic writer and influential man of the theater."-Publisher
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