Clifford Odets (Odets Clifford)

(1906-1963)
One of the most prominent representatives of the social drama of the 1930's, is directly related to economic and political problems of crisis 1929-1932. Born in 1906 in Philadelphia (pc. Pennsylvania). At age 14, left school and began an acting career. For some time playing in the little-known troupes, appeared in minor roles in productions of 'Theater Guild' ( 'Theater Guild'). In 1930 became one of the founders of radical left New York 'theater group' ( 'The Group Theater'). The first piece Odets, Awake and Sing (Awake and Sing), a penetrating story of the life of a Jewish family, was set in 1935. In the same year, staged two plays - one-act Waiting Lefti (Waiting for Lefty), . where bright expressionist style of the episode before the strike of the New York taxi drivers in 1934, . and less successful anti-fascist drama Until my dying day (Till the Day I Die),
. Others of his plays: Golden Boy (Golden Boy, . 1937), . Rocket to the Moon (Rocket to the Moon, . 1938), . Night Music (Night Music, . 1940), . Skirmish at night (Clash by Night, . 1941), . Big Knife (The Big Knife, . 1948), . Country Girl (The Country Girl, . 1950) and Peach Blossom (The Flowering Peach, . 1954),
.
In the history of American theater Odets is a prominent representative of the proletarian drama. He was influenced by Chekhov drama and SH.O Casey. For a long time worked in Hollywood as a screenwriter and director. He has written scripts General died at dawn (The General Died at Dawn, 1936), Big Knife (The Big Knife, 1955, dir. R. Aldrich) and the sweet smell of success (Sweet Smell of Success, 1957). Odets died in Los Angeles on Aug. 15, 1963