David Mamet author page

David Mamet biography

David Mamet is an American playwright, screenwriter, director, and author. He studied at Goddard College in Vermont and later co-founded the St. Nicholas Theatre Company in Chicago in 1974. His early stage work quickly established him as a leading voice in contemporary theatre.

Mamet’s breakthrough came with the play American Buffalo (1975), first staged at the Goodman Theatre before transferring to Broadway. His later plays include Glengarry Glen Ross (1983), which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1984, Speed-the-Plow (1988), and Oleanna (1992). His dialogue style, often referred to as “Mamet-speak,” is marked by clipped, rhythmic exchanges and repetition.

In film, Mamet wrote screenplays for The Verdict (1982), The Untouchables (1987), and Wag the Dog (1997), the last earning him an Academy Award nomination. He has also directed films including House of Games (1987), Homicide (1991), and Heist (2001).

Mamet has published collections of essays and several books on acting, directing, and writing, including True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor (1997). His memoir Bambi vs. Godzilla (2007) reflects on the film industry.

In 1984 Mamet received the Pulitzer Prize for Glengarry Glen Ross, one of the most acclaimed American plays of the late twentieth century.