William Goldman
1931 – 2018

William Goldman

American novelist, screenwriter and playwright (1931-2018)

film screenwriternovelistplaywrightwriterscreenwriter
Born
1931-08-12, Highland Park
Died
2018-11-16
Birthplace state
Illinois

Biography

William Goldman was an American novelist, screenwriter and playwright who wrote 16 novels and numerous screenplays in a career spanning seven decades. He received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Best Screenplay from the BAFTAs and Golden Globes for his first original screenplay, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), and he received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for All the President's Men (1976). Both of these films have been inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, along with The Princess Bride (1987) which he adapted from his 1973 novel, and all three were included on the 2006 list by the Writers Guild of America of the 101 Greatest Screenplays. Among his other accolades were three Writers Guild of America Awards, including the 1985 Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement, two Edgar Awards for Best Motion Picture Screenplay, and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

Occupation

William Goldman is recorded as a film screenwriter, a novelist, a playwright, a writer and a screenwriter, born in Illinois (1931–2018).

Connections to Illinois

William Goldman was born in Highland Park, Illinois in 1931. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

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Ronald Reagan
president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and actor (1911-2004)
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Walt Disney
American animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of The Walt Disney Company (1901–1966)
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Ernest Hemingway
American author and journalist (1899–1961)
Robin Williams
Robin Williams
American actor and comedian (1951–2014)
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
American chess player (1943–2008)
James Watson
James Watson
American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Frequently asked about William Goldman

Who was William Goldman?
William Goldman was American novelist, screenwriter and playwright (1931-2018), born in Illinois (1931 – 2018).
When and where was William Goldman born?
William Goldman was born on 1931-08-12 in Highland Park.
When did William Goldman die?
William died on 2018-11-16.
What was William Goldman known for?
William Goldman is recorded as a film screenwriter, a novelist, a playwright, a writer and a screenwriter.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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