About
Sam Shepard, born Samuel Shepard Rogers IV, was an American playwright and actor. He wrote nearly 60 plays, including Buried Child, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979. He also acted, earning an Oscar nomination for The Right Stuff, and wrote the screenplay for Paris, Texas, which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. He received 11 Obie Awards and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His plays often explore themes of family, masculinity, and the American West.
* 1943-11-05 — † 2017-07-27
Major works
- Buried Child (1978)play
- Curse of the Starving Class (1977)play
- True West (1980)play
- Fool for Love (1983)play
- A Lie of the Mind (1985)play
Key milestones
- 1979Won the Pulitzer Prize for Buried Child.
- 1984Nominated for an Oscar for The Right Stuff and his screenplay for Paris, Texas won the Palme d'Or at Cannes.
- 1994Inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
Themes
FamilyMasculinityAmerican WestDysfunctionIdentity
Sources: research.hrc.utexas.edu · samshepardarchive.com · catdir.loc.gov