Wasserman, Dale

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Dale Wasserman, playwright; Oldrich Danek, playwright.

From the description of Play with fire : typescript, 1978, August. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 144651977

From the description of I'll be there : typescript. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122607010

From the description of We'll all be there : typescript 1977, November. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122570486

From the description of Play with fire : typescript. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122579639

Dale Wasserman playwright, screenwriter and television writer worked in show business since the age of nineteen. His early forays into theater include work as a lighting designer, director and producer. Around 1955 he began his writing career and it is this for which he is best noted.

From the guide to the Dale Wasserman sound recordings, (The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.)

Dale Wasserman playwright, screenwriter and television writer has worked in show business since the age of nineteen.

His early forays into theater include work as a lighting designer, director and producer. Around 1955 he began his writing career and it is this for which he is best noted. His early work for television included such series as the Dupont Theatre, Armstrong Circle Theater and Kraft Television Theatre. His work for the Dupont Theatre included the award winning television plays The Lincoln Murder Case and I, Don Quixote, on which the musical Man of La Mancha is based. Among his credits include the stage version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, as well as the motion pictures The Vikings and Cleopatra. Some of his later work includes Shakespeare and the Indians and Western Star, both of which were produced outside of New York City.

From the description of Dale Wasserman papers, 1959-1996. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122314282

Dale Wasserman playwright, screenwriter and television writer has worked in show business since the age of nineteen.

His early forays into theater include work as a lighting designer, director and producer. Around 1955 he began his writing career and it is this for which he is best noted . His early work for television included such series as the Dupont Theatre, Armstrong Circle Theater and Kraft Television Theatre. His work for the Dupont Theatre included the award winning television plays of The Lincoln Murder Case and I, Don Quixote, on which the musical Man of La Mancha is based.

From the description of Dale Wasserman collection sound recordings. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122625726

Dale Wasserman playwright, screenwriter and television writer has worked in show business since the age of nineteen.

His early forays into theater include work as a lighting designer, director and producer. Around 1955 he began his writing career and it is this for which he is best noted. His early work for television included such series as the Dupont Theatre, Armstrong Circle Theater and Kraft Television Theatre. His work for the Dupont Theatre included the award winning television plays The Lincoln Murder Case and I, Don Quixote, on which the musical Man of La Mancha is based. Among his credits include the stage version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, as well as the motion pictures The Vikings and Cleopatra.

Some of his later work includes Shakespeare and the Indians and Western Star, both of which were produced outside of New York City.

From the description of Dale Wasserman papers, sound recordings and moving image materials, 1959-1996. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122517759

Dale Wasserman (1914-2008) was an American playwright, television-writer and screenwriter, working from the 1950s to the 1990s. He is best known for his play, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1963) and his book for the musical Man of La Mancha (1966).

Wasserman was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. After the early death of his parents he was raised in an orphanage. In his youth, he traveled around the United States on freight trains, living on the hobo circuit. He also started working in show business from the age of nineteen. His early forays into theater include work as a lighting designer, director and producer. In the 1940s he worked for the Katherine Dunham Dance Company as a director and stage manager in Haiti and in New York.

Around 1955 he began his writing career, writing scripts for such television series as Ponds Theater, Armstrong Circle Theater, The Alcoa Hour and Kraft Television Theatre. His work for the Dupont Show of the Month included the award winning television plays The Lincoln Murder Case and I, Don Quixote, on which he based his book for the award-winning, acclaimed and wildly popular musical Man of La Mancha, which had a score by Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion.

Besides Man of La Mancha, Wasserman's most notable stage project was his adaptation of Ken Kesey's novel, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest into a hit play. Other stage projects of Wasserman's which were not produced in New York include, An Enchanted Land, Western Star, A Walk in the Sky, J.F.K., Shakespeare and the Indians and a revamp of John La Touche's original book for Beggar's Holiday. Many of these projects were mounted in regional or London productions.

Wasserman's motion pictures include The Vikings, Cleopatra, Quick Before it Melts and A Walk with Love and Death.

In 2003 Wasserman published a memoir on his experiences as the writer of Man of La Mancha, called The Impossible Musical.

Wasserman's first marriage to actress Ramsay Ames ended in divorce in 1980. He was married to Martha Nelly Garza from 1984 until his death in 2008.

From the guide to the Dale Wasserman papers, 1940-2008, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Dale Wasserman papers, 1959-1996. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Grand Theatre Collection (University of Guelph). Man of La Mancha / by Dale Wasserman ; music by Mitch Leigh ; lyrics by Joe Darion ; directed by Heinar Piller, 1972 - house program. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
referencedIn Howard Bay designs and technical drawings, 1934-1985 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
creatorOf Grand Theatre Collection (University of Guelph). Man of La Mancha / by Dale Wasserman ; music by Mitch Leigh ; lyrics by Joe Darion ; directed by Heinar Piller, 1972 - production photos. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. One flew over the cuckoo's nest / by Dale Wasserman ; based on the novel by Ken Kesey, 2001. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Agor, Yaʻaḳov. 880-01 Behind the scenes of the play Ish Lamanshah. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Dale Wasserman collection sound recordings. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Stratford Festival Collection. Man of La Mancha / written by Dale Wasserman ; music by Mitch Leigh ; lyrics by Joe Darion ; based on the universally-known picaresque romance by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra ; directed by Susan H. Schulman, 1998 - House Program. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Papers, 1946-1983. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. We'll all be there : typescript 1977, November. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Theatre Aquarius Archives (University of Guelph). The Man of La Mancha / book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darlon ; directed by Peter Mandia, 1991 - performance file. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. I'll be there : typescript. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Leigh, Mitch, 1928-. Man of La Mancha / [music by Mitch Leigh ; lyrics by Joe Darion ; book by Dale Wasserman ; suggested by Cervantes' Don Quixote], 2003. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Shakespeare and the Indians : script / written by Dale Wasserman. Texas State University-San Marcos, Albert B. Alkek Library
creatorOf Dale Wasserman sound recordings The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Theatre Aquarius Archives. Man of La Mancha / book by Dale Wasserman ; music by Mitch Leigh ; lyrics by Joe Darion ; directed by Peter Mandia, 1991 - house program. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Kubicek, Earl C. Abraham Lincoln : Lincoln and the theater / [compiled by Earl C. Kubicek]. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Play with fire : typescript, 1978, August. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Theatre Aquarius Archives. Man from La Mancha / by Dale Wasserman ; directed by Peter Mandia, 1991 - videotape. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Grand Theatre Collection (University of Guelph). Man of La Mancha / by Dale Wasserman ; music by Mitch Leigh ; lyrics by Joe Darion ; directed by Heinar Piller, 1972 - performance file. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Zwecker, Yossi. 880-01 Ḳen ha-ḳuḳiyah. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Enchanted island : a play about Haiti / by Dale Wasserman. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf Agor, Yaʻaḳov. 880-01 Actors in the play Ish Lamanshah. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
creatorOf Bay, Howard. Howard Bay designs and technical drawings, 1934-1985. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. 880-01 Ish Lamanshah. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Play with fire : typescript. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. The man of LaMancha : combined screenplay, [1972?]. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Studio one-- American primitive / by Dale Wasserman and Ernest Pascal. Bowling Green State University, BGSU Libraries
creatorOf Wasserman, Dale. Dale Wasserman papers, sound recordings and moving image materials, 1959-1996. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Agor, Yaʻaḳov. 880-01 Ish Lamanshah. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
creatorOf Pascal, Ernest, 1896-1966. American primitive / by Ernest Pascal & Dale Wasserman. Bowling Green State University, BGSU Libraries
referencedIn Arthur Unger collection of recorded interviews [sound recording] The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Dale Wasserman papers, 1940-2008 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
referencedIn Souvenir programs for theatrical productions, 1906-2005. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Auden, W. H. (Wystan Hugh), 1907-1973. person
associatedWith Bay, Howard. person
associatedWith Bizet, Georges, 1838-1875 person
associatedWith Briggs, Rita. person
associatedWith Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de, 1547-1616. person
associatedWith Danĕk, Oldr̆ich, 1927- person
associatedWith Darion, Joe, 1917-2001 person
associatedWith DeTurk, Scott. person
associatedWith Friedman, Alan Jay person
associatedWith Friedman, Allan Jay. person
associatedWith Geller, Bruce, 1930-1978. person
associatedWith Grand Theatre Collection (University of Guelph) corporateBody
associatedWith Grand Theatre Collection (University of Guelph) corporateBody
associatedWith Grand Theatre Collection (University of Guelph) corporateBody
associatedWith Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 person
associatedWith Kesey, Ken. person
associatedWith Kinney, Terry. person
associatedWith Kubicek, Earl C. person
associatedWith Leigh, Mitch, 1928- person
associatedWith Preston, Bob. person
associatedWith Steppenwolf Theatre Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Stratford Festival Collection. corporateBody
associatedWith Theatre Aquarius Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Theatre Aquarius Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Theatre Aquarius Archives (University of Guelph) corporateBody
associatedWith The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Billy Rose Theatre Division. Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. corporateBody
associatedWith Unger, Arthur person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Haiti
United States
United States
Subject
Theater
Amistad (Schooner)
Dramatists
Film
Mentally ill
Motion picture plays
Musicals
Musical theater
Screenwriters
Television
Television plays
Television writers
Wounded Knee Massacre, S. D.,1890
Occupation
Librettists
Playwrights
Screenwriters
Television writers
Activity

Person

Birth 1917-11-02

Death 2008-12-21

Americans

English

Information

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