Sam Spewack
Samuel "Sam" Spewack (born September 16, 1899 in Bachmut , Russian Empire , today Ukraine , † October 14, 1971 in New York City ) was an American dramaturge , librettist and screenwriter .
Life
Sam Spewack attended Stuyvesant High School and Columbia College in New York City. From 1919 he worked for the New York World newspaper as a foreign correspondent in Europe. As such, he wrote for the New York Herald Tribune until 1926 .
With his wife Bella Spewack , whom he married in 1922, he wrote numerous plays from 1928, which were also performed on New York's Broadway . From 1931 both worked as screenwriters in Hollywood for various film studios such as Columbia Pictures , MGM and Warner Brothers . For the comedy My Favorite Wife ( My Favorite Wife ) they were in 1941 along with Leo McCarey for the Oscar in the category Best Original story nominated. In 1963, this script was filmed again with Doris Day and James Garner under the title Eine zuviel im Bett ( Move Over, Darling ). However, the author couple achieved their greatest successes with the libretti for the Cole Porter musicals Leave It to Me! (1938) and Kiss Me, Kate (1948). For Kiss Me, Kate , also made into a film by George Sidney in 1953 , Sam and Bella Spewack each received two Tony Awards in 1949 .
Works (selection)
Stage plays
- The War Song , 1928
- Poppa , 1928
- Clear All Wires , 1932
- Spring Song , 1934
- Boy Meets Girl , 1935
- Miss Swan Expects , 1939
- Woman Bites Dog , 1946
- Two Blind Mice , 1949
- The Golden State , 1950
- My 3 Angels , 1953
- Once There Was a Russian , 1960
Musicals
- Leave it to me! , 1938 (based on the play Clear All Wires )
- Kiss Me, Kate , 1948
Scripts
- 1931: The Secret Witness
- 1933: Should Ladies Behave
- 1934: Love according to sheet music (The Cat and the Fiddle)
- 1934: The Gay Bride
- 1935: You don't kiss spies ( rendezvous )
- 1937: For you, Madame ... (Vogues of 1938)
- 1938: Three Loves Has Nancy
- 1938: The Little Star (Boy Meets Girl)
- 1940: My Favorite Wife (My Favorite Wife)
- 1945: Weekend at the Waldorf (Week-End at the Waldorf)
Awards
- 1941: Oscar nomination for Best Original Story for My Favorite Woman along with Leo McCarey and Bella Spewack
- 1949: Two Tony Awards for Kiss me, Kate with Bella Spewack
Web links
- Sam Spewack in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Sam Spewack in the Internet Broadway Database (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Spewack, Sam |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Spewack, Samuel (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American screenwriter |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 16, 1899 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bachmut , Russian Empire |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 14, 1971 |
| Place of death | New York City |