Israel Horovitz

Israel Horovitz
Name	Israel Horovitz
Birth date	March 31, 1939
Birth place	Wakefield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death date	November 9, 2020
Death place	New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Playwright, director, Screenwriter
Spouse	Gillian Lynne (1970–1971), Doris Keefe (1971–1976), Joyce Aaron (1977–1990), Katherine LaNasa (1998–2014)
Children	6, including Rachael Horovitz, Beastie Boys' Ad-Rock, Adam Horovitz
Awards	Obie Award, Emmy Award, Guggenheim Fellowship

Israel Horovitz was a prolific and influential American playwright and director, best known for his extensive body of work for the stage. A central figure in the Off-Broadway movement, his plays were produced worldwide, from New York City to London's West End and Paris. His career spanned over five decades, earning him major accolades including an Obie Award and an Emmy Award.

Early life and education

He was born in Wakefield, Massachusetts, to a Jewish family, the son of Hazel and Julius Horovitz. He developed an early interest in theatre and writing, attending the University of New Hampshire before transferring to RADA in London. His formative years were influenced by the works of European playwrights like Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter, whose styles he would later adapt into his own distinctive voice.

Career

His professional breakthrough came with the 1968 production of The Indian Wants the Bronx at the Astor Place Theatre, which launched the careers of Al Pacino and John Cazale and won him his first Obie Award. He became a founding playwright of the New York Shakespeare Festival under Joseph Papp and was a longtime artistic director of the Gloucester Stage Company in Massachusetts. His international success was cemented with plays like Line, one of the longest-running plays in Off-Off-Broadway history, and his Paris trilogy, which enjoyed major success in France. He also wrote for film and television, earning an Emmy Award for his work on the CBS series The Goodbye People.

Personal life

He was married four times: to choreographer Gillian Lynne, actress Doris Keefe, actress Joyce Aaron, and actress Katherine LaNasa. He was the father of six children, including film producer Rachael Horovitz and Adam Horovitz of the hip hop group the Beastie Boys. In later years, he faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, which significantly impacted his reputation and professional relationships. He divided his time between New York City and Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he was a prominent community figure.

Works

His extensive catalogue includes over 70 plays. Notable works include the early hit The Indian Wants the Bronx, the enduring Line, and the acclaimed Park Your Car in Harvard Yard. His "New England plays," such as The Widow's Blind Date and North Shore Fish, explored working-class life in Massachusetts. Internationally, he was celebrated for his French-produced plays like Qu'est-ce qui frappe ici si tôt?. His screenplays include adaptations of his own plays for film, such as The Strawberry Statement and Author! Author!.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career, he received numerous prestigious awards. These include two Obie Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and an Emmy Award. He was also a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and several Fulbright scholarships. In France, he was honored as a Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and he won the Prix de Plaisir du Théâtre and the Grand Prix de la Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques.

Legacy

His legacy is complex, marked by significant artistic contributions and serious personal controversies. He is remembered as a foundational voice in American Off-Broadway theatre who helped launch major careers and whose plays achieved global recognition. The allegations against him, however, have led to a critical reassessment of his place in theatrical history. Institutions like the Gloucester Stage Company, which he helped establish, remain part of his enduring impact on American regional theatre.

Category:American dramatists and playwrights Category:Obie Award winners Category:1939 births Category:2020 deaths