Arthur Laurents (July 14, 1917 – May 5, 2011) was an American playwright, stage director and screenwriter.
After writing scripts for radio shows after college and then training films for the U.S. Army during World War II, Laurents turned to writing for Broadway, producing a body of work that includes West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959), Hallelujah, Baby! (1967) and La Cage Aux Folles (1983), and directing some of his own shows and other Broadway productions.
His early film scripts include Rope (1948) for Alfred Hitchcock, followed by Anastasia (1956), Bonjour Tristesse (1958), The Way We Were (1973) and The Turning Point (1977).
Born Arthur Levine
July 14, 1917(1917-07-14)
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died May 5, 2011(2011-05-05) (aged 93)
New York City, New York, United States
Occupation Playwright
Stage director
Screenwriter
Language English
Nationality American
Alma mater Cornell University
Period 1945–2011
Notable award(s) 1968 Tony Award for Best Musical – Hallelujah, Baby!
1975 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical – Gypsy
1977 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay – The Turning Point
1984 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – La Cage aux Folles
Partner(s) Tom Hatcher (1954–2006, Hatcher's death)
