American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal (Drama)
1 appearances
-
Edition 15 (2016) Winner
Wallace Shawn
ウォレス・ショーン
Uoresu Shōn
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1943-11-12 （New York City, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Jewish atheist
- Residence History
- Manhattan (Upper East Side, Chelsea)
Career
- Occupations
- actor, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, voice actor
- Active Years
- 1965-
- Influenced By
- Bertolt Brecht, Andre Gregory
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Collegiate School | — | — | — | — | United States |
| The Putney School | — | — | — | — | United States |
| Harvard College | History | — | AB | — | United States |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
The Collegiate School
Country:
United States
Early schooling in Manhattan
The Putney School
Country:
United States
Attended a private liberal arts high school in Vermont
Harvard College
History
Degree:
AB
Country:
United States
Bachelor of Arts in History
Magdalen College, Oxford
Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied PPE and Latin; originally intended to become a diplomat
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Obie Award | Our Late Night | — | Obie Awards | Won |
| 1986 | Obie Award | Aunt Dan and Lemon | — | Obie Awards | Won |
| 1991 | Obie Award (Best American Play) | The Fever | — | Obie Awards | Won |
| 1978 | Guggenheim Fellowship | — | — | Guggenheim Foundation | Won |
| 1982 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award (Best Screenplay) | My Dinner with Andre | — | Boston Society of Film Critics | Won |
| 1995 | Chlotrudis Award (Best Actor) | Vanya on 42nd Street | — | Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films | Won |
| 2005 | PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award | — | Master American Dramatist | PEN/Laura Pels | Won |
Obie Award
1975
Work:
Our Late Night
Organization:
Obie Awards
Result:
Won
Obie Award
1986
Work:
Aunt Dan and Lemon
Organization:
Obie Awards
Result:
Won
Obie Award (Best American Play)
1991
Work:
The Fever
Organization:
Obie Awards
Result:
Won
Guggenheim Fellowship
1978
Organization:
Guggenheim Foundation
Result:
Won
Boston Society of Film Critics Award (Best Screenplay)
1982
Work:
My Dinner with Andre
Organization:
Boston Society of Film Critics
Result:
Won
Chlotrudis Award (Best Actor)
1995
Work:
Vanya on 42nd Street
Organization:
Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films
Result:
Won
PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award
2005
Category:
Master American Dramatist
Organization:
PEN/Laura Pels
Result:
Won
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
My Dinner with Andre
1981 film/dialogueA semi-autobiographical dialogue based on conversations between Shawn and Andre Gregory; adapted into a well-known film.
self-explorationphilosophical dialoguetheatre
Adaptations
- [film] My Dinner with Andre / Louis Malle (1981)
Aunt Dan and Lemon
1985 playA political and controversial play linking private psychology and political behavior; described by Shawn as a cautionary tale against fascism.
politicsmoralitypsychology
The Fever
1990 monologue/playOriginally intended for small audiences in apartments, a monologue depicting a person's moral struggle in the face of injustice and critical of US foreign policy.
ethicspolitical critiqueindividual vs. state
Adaptations
- [television/film] The Fever / デイヴィッド・ハレ（映像化に関与）/他 (2004)
The Designated Mourner
1997 play (adapted to film)A play that layers personal memory over political context; later adapted into a film.
memorypoliticsclass
Adaptations
- [film] The Designated Mourner / David Hare (1997)
Essays
2009 essay collectionA collection of essays expressing Shawn's views on politics and aspects of his life.
politicspersonal essayssocial critique
Night Thoughts
2017 essaysAn essay collection published by Haymarket Books addressing political topics and personal recollections.
recollectionpoliticssociety
Bibliography
- Essays (2009)
- Night Thoughts (2017)
- Sleeping Among Sheep Under a Starry Sky (2022)
Adaptations
- The Fever (television/film adaptation, 2004)
- The Designated Mourner (film, 1997)
- My Dinner with Andre (film, 1981)
Translations by Author
- The Threepenny Opera (translation)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- absurdist stylepolitical and critical toneintrospective, dialogue-driven
- Recurring Motifs
- connection between private psychology and politicsclass and inequalitymoral dilemmas
Legacy
Wallace Shawn is known both for his distinctive acting (notably Vizzini in The Princess Bride and the voice of Rex in the Toy Story franchise) and for his politically engaged, philosophical plays. He has received multiple Obie Awards and is respected as a major American dramatist.
Academic Societies
- PEN/Laura Pels (associated)
In Popular Culture
- Known in popular culture as the voice of Rex in the Toy Story franchise
- Famous for the line 'inconceivable' as Vizzini in The Princess Bride
Quotes
-
I call myself a socialist.
Source: Essay "Why I Call Myself a Socialist"; included in Essays (2009)
Trivia
- His father was William Shawn, longtime editor of The New Yorker.
- Longtime partner is writer Deborah Eisenberg (1972–present).
- Voice of Rex in the Toy Story franchise (1995–present).