Playwright Anthony Shaffer dies aged 75
Playwright Anthony Shaffer dies aged 75
Playwright Anthony Shaffer died yesterday 6th Nov 01 of a heart Attack at the age of 75.
He is best known for Sleuth, which was an immediate hit when it had its West End premiere in February 1970, starring Anthony Quayle and Keith Baxter. On Broadway it had a similar success, being given a Tony award as Best Play of 1970 before returning triumphantly to the West End. It translated to the screen two years later with the screenplay written by Shaffer.
His plays include The Savage Parade (1963) and Murderer (1975)
One half of a celebrated playwriting fraternity, Anthony Joshua Shaffer was born in 1926 in Liverpool, the twin brother of Peter Shaffer, the author of "Five Finger Exercise" "Royal Hunt of the Sun" and "Amadeus".
He scripted his first film, Forbush And The Penguins , in 1972. Other films include The Wicker Man (1973), Frenzy (1972), Absolution (1981) Death On The Nile (1978), Evil Under The Sun (1982) Appointment With Death (1988).
At one time resident in New York, Shaffer latterly divided his time between a London studio and a farm near Cairns, Queensland, which he shared with his Australian wife, the actress Diane Cilento, whom he married in 1985 Anthony Shaffer is survived by her and by the two daughters of his second marriage, to Carolyn Soley.
Obituary is on the following web sites...
Photo credit from Fan site :
www.shaffers-domain.co.uk/
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