Rosten, Norman, 1914-1995

Norman Rosten (1914-1995), poet, playwright and novellist, was born in New York City. He published many works including books on poetry, fiction and non-fiction novels, screenplays, newspapers and magazine articles, and early in his career, even wrote radio shows. Although Norman Rosten was born in New York City, his family moved upstate soon afterwards and he grew up on a farm in Hurleyville, New York. As a teenager, Rosten attended the Agricultural College of Cornell University in Ithaca with the thought of becoming a farmer. However, after the family farm burned down, his family returned to New York and, with their resettlement in Brooklyn, Rosten's future would change as well. In 1931, Rosten enrolled at Brooklyn College. He majored in English planning to bcome a teacher. However, upon graduation in 1935, Rosten was unable to find a teaching job; he then decided to continue his education. Writing now became an important part of his life. He received his Master's Degree from New York University and went on to the University of Michigan (where he would meet his future wife, Hedda). He then began to write in earnest. In 1938, Rosten was awarded the Hopwood Award in Poetry and Drama for The Proud Pilgrimage. In 1940, he received the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award for Retrun Again Traveler. In a diverse career, Mr. Rosten published seven volumes of poetry and four novels. In addition, Rosten wrote the screenplay for Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge, and also became a close personal friend of Mr. Miller's. In 1979, Borough President Howard Golden named Norman Rosten the Poet Laureate of Brooklyn, a title he held until his death.

Produced, Jan. 1938, University Theatre, Ann Arbor. Winner of Hopwood Award, 1938.

Produced at Heckscher Foundation, New York City, June 1940.

Poet, novelist, playwright, screenplay writer.

Graduate of Brooklyn College, 1935.