Origins & Early Life

William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) 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.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Goldman collaborated twice each with George Roy Hill, Peter Yates, Rob Reiner and Simon West, and thrice with Richard Attenborough. He adapted his novels Marathon Man (1974, filmed in 1976), Magic (1976,...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Adolfo Pérez Esquivel — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Argentine activist and Nobel Peace laureate for human rights defense.
• Akseli Gallen-Kallela — Contemporary (Died in 1931) (1931): Pioneering Finnish painter, celebrated for national romanticism and the Kalevala.
• Alan Bean — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): American astronaut, naval officer, and lunar explorer who walked on the Moon.
• Amos Oz — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): Pioneering Israeli novelist, journalist, and intellectual whose works explored Palestinian life.
• Aretha Franklin — Contemporary (Died in 2018) (2018): The "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin defined American music with unparalleled vocal power.
• Abul Fazl — Shared historical date (08-12 · Died) (1602): Pioneering Mughal historian, writer, and Grand Vizier of Emperor Akbar's court.
• Adam Johann von Krusenstern — Shared historical date (08-12 · Died) (1846): Russian admiral and explorer, famed for leading the first Russian circumnavigation.
• Alan Watts — Shared historical date (11-16 · Died) (1973): Philosopher and lecturer popularizing Eastern thought for the West.
• Carl von Clausewitz — Shared historical date (11-16 · Died) (1831): Prussian military theorist whose work, On War, shaped modern strategic thought.
• 1931 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1931
• August 12 (08-12) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 12
• 2018 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2018
• November 16 (11-16) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 16