Herb Gardner
Herb Gardner | |
---|---|
Born | Herbert George Gardner December 28, 1934 New York City, US |
Died | September 24, 2003 New York City, US | (aged 68)
Education | Carnegie Mellon University Antioch College |
Spouse(s) | Rita Gardner (divorced) Barbara Sproul (?-2003; his death) |
Children | 2 |
Herbert George Gardner (December 28, 1934 – September 24, 2003) was an American commercial artist, cartoonist, playwright and screenwriter.[1]
Early life
Born in
Comic strip
Gardner was educated at New York's
Plays and films
Gardner is best known for his 1962 play
I feel A Thousand Clowns is his masterpiece. It is a real human comedy of poignancy and laughter, with all of humanity's foibles and eccentricities. There is a great depth of love and understanding for all in this play. There are great life lessons to learn daily, which I find myself still doing. For Herb Gardner to have written this play in his early twenties is a miracle.
Gardner's biggest commercial success was the 1985 play
Other Broadway credits include The Goodbye People (1968), Thieves (1974), and Conversations with My Father (1992). He collaborated with Jule Styne on the ill-fated 1980 musical One Night Stand.[citation needed]
Novel
Gardner's autobiographical novel, A Piece of the Action, was published in 1958. Gardner was the screenwriter and co-producer of the 1971 motion picture
Personal life
Gardner's first wife was actress Rita Gardner; the union ended in divorce. He later married Barbara Sproul, with whom he raised two adopted sons, Jake Gardner and Rafferty Gardner.[5] In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the boyfriend of actress Marlo Thomas.[6]
Death
Gardner died in his Manhattan apartment from complications of lung disease on September 25, 2003, aged 68.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Douglas Martin (September 26, 2003). "Herb Gardner, 68, a Playwright Who Created Quirky Souls". The New York Times. p. A 22. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
- ^ Herb Gardner profile, FilmReference.com; accessed June 13, 2017.
- ^ R. Allen Gardner, 91, Dies; Taught Sign Language to a Chimp Named Washoe, NYTimes.com; accessed October 10, 2021.
- ^ Washoe, a Chimp of Many Words, Dies at 42, NYTimes.com; accessed October 10, 2021.
- ^ "Obituary: Herb Gardner 1934-2003". The Comics Reporter. October 30, 2003. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
- ^ Katie Kelly, "Marlo Thomas: 'All My Life I've Had My Dukes Up'"], New York Times, March 11, 1973.