Mel Gussow

Mel Gussow (December 19, 1933 – April 29, 2005) was an influential American theatre critic who wrote for The New York Times for thirty-five years. His writing helped further the careers of actors, such as Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, and Sigourney Weaver, playwrights, including Sam Shepard, David Mamet, John Guare, Harold Pinter, Edward Albee and Tom Stoppard, theatre wunderkind such as Robert Wilson, Charles Ludlam, Richard Foreman, and Julie Taymor, and enhanced the influence of Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and regional theatres.

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He was born in New York, grew up on Long Island, and attended Middlebury College, graduating in 1955 with a degree in American literature. He earned a master's degree from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in 1956.

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After two years in the army, he was hired by Newsweek, where he became a movie and theatre critic. His first review of a Broadway play was Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1962. It was a rave, and began a life-long relationship with the play's author, Edward Albee, resulting in Gussow's 1999 biography of the playwright, Edward Albee: A Singular Journey.

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He wrote reviews for The Times for thirty-five years starting in 1969. His reviews were conceived of as collaborative rather than oppositional. He authored eight books, including a series of four which were "conversations" with playwrights Arthur Miller, Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, and Tom Stoppard.

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He brought many new talents to public attention, including Athol Fugard, Mac Wellman, Michael Gambon, Bill Irwin, Spalding Gray, and Whoopi Goldberg.

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December 19: December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 12 days remaining....

1933: 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar)....

2005: 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar....

Mel Gussow related Images and Photos (experimental)

Mel Ferrer	Mel Gibson Print	Mel Gibson Print	Mel Gibson Print
WNEW Mel Torme (1973)	Mel Torme - Instant Party	Mel Torme - Instant Party	Actor Mel Gibson Shooting Scene from Film "Lethal Weapon 3"
Mel Gibson and Tina Turner Rolling Stone no. 455 August 29 1985	Mel Ferrer Françoise Arnoul and Micheline Presle (episode "Luxurieux point ne seras"): Le Diable e	Looney Tunes 'Speechless' Print Honoring Mel Blanc