Known for movies

Short Info

DiedDecember 22, 1989, Paris, France
SpouseSuzanne Dechevaux-Dumesnil
FactHis play, "Waiting for Godot" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 2012 Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best Production of a Play (Large Theatre).


Samuel Beckett was born on April 13, 1906, in Foxrock, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, to William Frank Beckett, a quantity surveyor and descendant of the Huguenots, and Maria Jones Roe, a nurse who was of English descent. His father was a member of the Protestant Ascendancy class and his mother a Roman Catholic. The couple had married in 1901. Beckett had one older brother, Frank Edward Beckett.

As a child, Beckett was educated at home by his mother until the age of 11. He then attended Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, from 1917 to 1923. A bright student, he excelled in the classics and won a scholarship to Trinity College, Dublin, where he studied modern languages, graduating with a first-class degree in 1927.

While at Trinity College, Beckett became involved in the Dublin literary scene, contributing to the student magazine Kottabos and meeting such future luminaries as James Joyce and Sean O’Casey. He also became an accomplished cricketer, playing for the college team.

After graduation, Beckett spent a year in London studying at the British Museum before returning to Dublin, where he worked as a lecturer at Trinity College from 1930 to 1932. In 1932, he published his first work of fiction, More Pricks Than Kicks, a collection of 10 short stories about Dubliners struggling to find meaning in their lives.

The following year, Beckett moved to Paris on a grant from the Irish Arts Council. There he met the American writer James Joyce, who became a major influence on his work. Joyce encouraged Beckett to experiment with language and form in his writing.

In Paris, Beckett also met the painter and writer Suzanne Deschevaux-Dumesnil, with whom he began a lifelong relationship. The couple never married but had a son, Samuel Beckett Jr., born in 1936.

During World War II, Beckett served in the French Resistance movement and was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Médaille de la Résistance for his bravery. After the war, he returned to Paris and continued to write. In 1953, he published the novel Molloy, followed by Malone Dies (1951) and The Unnamable (1953), which are collectively known as the “Trilogy.”

In 1955, Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot premiered in Paris. The absurdist work about two tramps waiting for the arrival of someone who never comes was an instant success and cemented Beckett’s reputation as one of the leading writers of his generation.

Over the next few years, Beckett wrote a number of other successful plays, including Endgame (1957), Krapp’s Last Tape (1958), Happy Days (1961), and Not I (1972). He also wrote several novels, including The Lost Ones (1972) and Mercier and Camier (1974).

In 1969, Beckett was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature “for his writing, which—in new forms for the novel and drama—in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation.” He is the only Irish writer to have won the Nobel Prize.

Beckett continued to write until his death on December 22, 1989. His work is characterized by its minimalist style and bleak outlook on life.

General Info

Full NameSamuel Beckett
DiedDecember 22, 1989, Paris, France
ProfessionTranslator, Playwright, Author, Poet, Film director, Novelist, Theatre Director, Screenwriter, Essayist, Cricketer
EducationTrinity College, Dublin, Portora Royal School
NationalityIrish

Family

SpouseSuzanne Dechevaux-Dumesnil
ParentsMaria Jones Roe, William Frank Beckett
SiblingsFrank Edward Beckett

Accomplishments

AwardsNobel Prize in Literature, Croix de guerre 1939–1945, Obie Award for Playwriting, Obie Award for Best Play, Obie Award for Best Foreign Play, Obie Award for Distinguished Plays, New York Drama Critics' Circle Special Citation
NominationsDrama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play, Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play, Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival
MoviesFilm, Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film, Happy Days, Comédie, En attendant Godot, Catastrophe, My Case, Rockaby, Come and Go, Not I

Social profile links

Quotes

#Quote
1The dead die hard, they are trespassers on the beyond, they must take the place as they find it, the shafts and manholes back into the muck, till such time as the lord of the manor incurs through his long acquiescence a duty of care in respect of them.
2Walter [Lowenfels], all I want to do is sit on my ass and fart and think of Dante.
3Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
4[on Delphine Seyrig] She is lovely.

Facts

#Fact
1His play, "Waiting for Godot" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre Too in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 1990 Los Angeles Weekly Award for Outstanding Revival.
2His play, "Waiting for Godot" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 2012 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle McCulloh Award for Revival.
3His play, "Waiting for Godot" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California was awarded the 2012 Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best Production of a Play (Large Theatre).
4His play, "Happy Days," was awarded the 1990 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Production at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
5Childhood friend of Mary Manning.
6Biography/bibliography in: "Contemporary Authors". New Revision Series, volume 61, pg. 64-73. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1998.
7The University of Dublin - Trinity College named their theatre after him. It is the campus theatre of the University's School of Drama.
8Buried in the exclusive "Montparnasse" cemetery Paris, France.

Movies

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Fragmento II1988Short writer
Mon cas1986extracts from play "Pour Finir et Autres Foirades"
La voz humana1986TV Series play - 1 episode
Warten auf Godot1984TV Movie
Rockaby1983Documentary play
Nacht und Träume1983TV Short
Quadrat 1+21982TV Short
Dias Felizes1982TV Movie play
Great Performances1980TV Series play - 1 episode
Happy Days1980TV Movie play
Film (A Screen Play by Samuel Beckett)1979Short writer
Teatro estudio1978TV Series play - 1 episode
Waiting for Godot1977TV Movie play
Drama1977TV Series play - 1 episode
...but the clouds...1977TV Short
Ghost Trio1977TV Short
The Lively Arts1977TV Series documentary writer - 1 episode
Akt utan ord II1976Short play "Act Without Words II"
Warten auf Godot1976TV Movie play
Der Macher oder Warten auf Godeau1974TV Movie play "Waiting For Godot"
Spil1974TV Short play
He, Joe1974TV Movie play
Not I1973Short play
Wachten op Godot1973TV Movie play
Thirty-Minute Theatre1972TV Series writer - 1 episode
I väntan på Godot1971TV Movie play
Spel zonder woorden I en II1971TV Movie
Zur Nacht1971TV Series documentary 1 episode
Poem1971Short poem by
Finale di partita1970TV Movie play
Oh! Les beaux jours1970TV Movie play
Das letzte Band1969TV Movie play "Krapp's Last Tape"
Slutspil1969TV Movie play "Endgame"
Krapp's laatste band1969TV Movie play
Spiel1969TV Movie play "Play"
Sluttspill1969TV Movie play "Endgame"
Endspiel1969TV Movie play "Endgame"
Hej, Dzo!1968TV Movie
Beginning to End1968TV Movie
Cekají na Godota1968Short play "Waiting for Godot"
Leikin loppu1968TV Movie play "Fin de partie"
Comédie1966Short play
Kuvitelkaa, mielikuvitus kuollut1966TV Movie play "Imagination Dead Imagine"
Vai mitä Joe1966TV Movie play "Eh, Joe?"
Ikke osse, Joe1966TV Short play
Eh, Joe?1966TV Movie
The Present Stage1966TV Series play "Waiting For Godot" - 2 episodes
Krapps sista band1966TV Movie play
New York Television Theatre1966TV Series play: "Eh, Joe?" - 1 episode
Beginning to End1966TV Movie from the works of
Spiel1965TV Short play "Play"
Glückliche Tage1965TV Movie play "Happy End"
Film1965Short
Mens vi venter på Godot1965TV Movie play
Warten auf Godot1963TV Movie play
Festival1963TV Series play - 1 episode
Krapps siste spole1963TV Movie based on play
Viimeinen ääninauha1963TV Movie play "Krapp's Last Tape"
Tout ceux qui tombent1963TV Movie play
Vi venter på Godot1962TV Movie play "Waiting for Godot"
Das letzte Band1962TV Movie play
Play of the WeekTV Series play - 1 episode, 1961 writer - 1 episode, 1961
Zero1960Short play "Mime Without Words" / written by
While Waiting for Godot2013play completed
Krapp's Last TapeTV Movie based in part on a play by announced
Les anges ne rêvent pasInspired on the Books completed
Waiting for Dogot2014Short quotation
If I'm Waiting2008play "Waiting For Godot"
Come and Go2007Short
Krapp's Last Tape2007TV Movie
Krapp's Last Tape2007Short original author
Ti pou2005Short play
He Joe2005Short based on story by
Atemzug2004TV Movie text
Cascando: On the Razor's Edge2004Short original story
Poslednja Krapova traka2004TV Movie play
Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film2003Video documentary plays
Kraj na Igrata MMI2002TV Movie play
Act Without Words II2001TV Short play
A Piece of Monologue2001TV Short play
Play2001Short play
Waiting for Godot2001play
Várjá Vlagyimir2001play "Waiting for Godot"
Act Without Words I2000TV Short play
Breath2000Short play
Catastrophe2000Short play
Come and Go2000TV Short play
Footfalls2000Short play
Not I2000Short play
Ohio Impromptu2000TV Short play
Rockaby2000TV Short
Rough for Theatre I2000Short play
Rough for Theatre II2000Short play
That Time2000Short play
Voz2000story
What Where2000Short play
Endgame2000TV Movie play
Krapp's Last Tape2000TV Movie play
Happy Days2000TV Movie play
Fin de partie1998TV Movie play
Endspiel1996TV Movie play "Endgame"
Beckett Directs Beckett: Endgame by Samuel Beckett1992TV Movie play
GlasnostTV Series play - 2 episodes, 1989 - 1992 writer - 1 episode, 1989
Schastlivye dni1991play "Happy Days"
Waiting for Godot1991play
Oh! Les beaux jours1990TV Movie play
Céu de Papel1990TV Movie play
Endgame by Samuel Beckett1989TV Movie play
En attendant Godot1989TV Movie play
Das letzte Band1989Video short
Monaha ta synnefa1989Short play
Beckett Directs Beckett: Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett1988TV Movie play
Beckett Directs Beckett: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett1988TV Movie play
Spel utan ord1988TV Movie play "Act without words"
Kraj partije1988TV Movie play

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Beckett Directs Beckett: Endgame by Samuel Beckett1992TV Movie
Beckett Directs Beckett: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett1988TV Movie
Quadrat 1+21982TV Short
Warten auf Godot1976TV Movie theatre director
Das letzte Band1969TV Movie
Endspiel1969TV Movie

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Beckett Directs Beckett: Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett1988TV Movie directed for stage: Original mise-en-scène
...but the clouds...1977TV Short supervisor
Ghost Trio1977TV Short supervisor
The Lively Arts1977TV Series documentary supervisor - 1 episode
Kuinka draama syntyy1957Documentary short play: Waiting for Godot

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Here Comes GodotTV Series grateful acknowledgment - 15 episodes, 2014 special thanks - 1 episode, 2014
My Old Lady2014dedicatee
All Things Shining2012inspirational thanks
Arbitrarody2009Short special thanks
Rumbo a peor2009Short in memory of
Rockaby1983Documentary thanks: especially for the play and for his support

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Samuel Beckett1969ShortHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Notfilm2015Documentary
Waiting for Beckett1993Video documentaryHimself
Rockaby1983DocumentaryHimself (watching Billie in 'Happy Days')

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1984Grand PrizeSACD Awards
1969Nobel Prize in LiteratureNobel Prize

"for his writing, which - in new forms for the novel and drama - in the destitution of modern man ... More


Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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