Anthony Shaffer - Biography

Anthony Joshua Shaffer (15 May 19266 November 2001) was an English playwright, screenwriter, novelist, barrister, and advertising executive.

Biography

Shaffer was born to a Jewish family in Liverpool, the son of Reka (née Fredman) and Jack Shaffer, who was an estate agent with his wife's family. He was the identical twin brother of writer and dramatist Peter Shaffer. He graduated with a law degree from Trinity College, Cambridge.

Shaffer's most notable work was the play Sleuth (1970), which he adapted for the film version which starred Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, and was Oscar nominated. He received Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America for both versions: for Best Play in 1971, and Best Screenplay in 1973.

His other major screenplays include the Hitchcock thriller Frenzy (1972) and the British cult thriller The Wicker Man (1973) with whose director, Robin Hardy, Shaffer had previously set up a television production company Hardy, Shaffer & Associates.

Personal

Shaffer was married three times and had two children. His third wife was the Australian actress Diane Cilento, whom he met in 1973 when she appeared in The Wicker Man. She had previously been married to Sean Connery.

Bibliography

Novels

• The Woman in the Wardrobe: a lighthearted detective story (1951)
• How Doth the Little Crocodile? (1952) – co-written with Peter Shaffer, published under the pseudonym "Peter Anthony"
• Withered Murder (1955) – co-written with Peter Shaffer, published under the pseudonym "Peter Anthony"
• Absolution (1979) – based on Shaffer's screenplay for the 1978 film
• The Wicker Man (1979) – co-written with Robin Hardy, based on Shaffer's screenplay

Plays

• The Savage Parade (1963) – Later revised as This Savage Parade in 1987
• Sleuth (1970)
• Murderer (1975)
• Whodunnit (1977) – Originally called The Case Of The Oily Levantine
• Widow's Weeds (1986) – Originally called For Years I Couldn't Wear My Black. NOTE: World Premier in 1977 in Brisbane, Queensland by the Queensland Theatre Company
• The Thing In The Wheelchair (2001)

Memoir

• So What Did You Expect? (2001)
• Lock The Door And Tell Nobody (2001)

Filmography

Screenplays

• Mr. Forbush and the Penguins (1971) – a.k.a. Cry of the Penguins
• Frenzy (1972)
• Sleuth (1972)
• The Wicker Man (1973)
• Murder on the Orient Express (1974) – uncredited rewrite
• Death on the Nile (1978)
• Absolution (1978)
• Evil Under the Sun (1982)
• Appointment With Death (1988) – co-screenplay
• Sommersby (1993) – co-story

External links

• The Life & Work of Anthony Shaffer
• telegraph.co.uk
• Obituary in The Guardian (November 8, 2001)
• nytimes.com