Arthur Laurents

Arthur Laurents (born July 14, 1918) is an American playwright, novelist, screenwriter, librettist and stage director. Laurents was born in New York City to a Jewish family. After studying at Cornell University and a stint in the Army, he began writing scripts for radio and, in 1945, wrote his first play, Home of the Brave, a drama set during World War II. During McCarthyism, Laurents was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses and, for several years, none of his work was used in film. Other plays by Laurents include Time of the Cuckoo, Invitation to a March, The Enclave, and Jolson Sings Again. He also has written the books for several musicals, including West Side Story, Gypsy, Anyone Can Whistle, and Do I Hear a Waltz?, which was based on his play Time of the Cuckoo. Laurents has directed several Broadway productions as well, including the musicals I Can Get It for You Wholesale and La Cage Aux Folles. Laurents has also written two novels, The Way We Were and The...