I remember being at UCLA in the 60's. William Inge, a friend of Williams, came to the theater department and had meetings with playwrights. I had the opportunity to sit with Inge and talk about some of his work..primarily Picnic which had been made into a movie. He didn't like Bill Holden in the part because Inge felt he was too old. But..about Williams. Evidentally he and Tennessee had a rivalry going. At that time Williams was at a low point and jealous of the success of Inge with Picnic, Bus Stop, etc. Inge told me that Williams would complain endlessly about his lack of success at that time and the critics. Inge said he was amazed and saddened because he felt Williams was a theater magician who transformed American theater. Even Arthur Miller said as much..without Williams Glass Menagerie there would have been no Death of a Salesman. Williams gave Miller freedom to write memory sequences. Don't know if any of this is in the book

love that Dick Cavett asks a question at the end.

@huiawalker203

2 жыл бұрын

Love him

I don't agree with everything here about Tennessee that is characterized by Kushner and Lahr but it's well worth the listen!

@robinbroad8760

2 жыл бұрын

Scholarly, and incredibly insightful

loved the book!

best book of the year

He looks so much like his father, the late Bert Lahr.

John Lahr gesticulates with both hands up so much that I began to see Lion's paws...

Lahr's book is indeed remarkable.

@jcmangan

4 жыл бұрын

Seems to be. I ordered it from an UK antiquarian after I saw this.

Thank God, that John Lahr is not a "stuffed shirt", little ego. If his writing is as great as he speaks. Not too many critics, art folks like that. I look at everything in art at the deep mythological level (the same as the two levels as dreams are) and I believe that he does. It's not Freudian nor of Adler. He's at the level of the Heart Chakra. He names the fault, with a balm of compassion. He has flourished, in spite of the fact of his famous Father. He was not a son, "too close to the sun". I can't wait to read the book.

If IIIIII, was the King, of the Forrresssttt!

Why does Kushner remind me of Barton Fink from the Coen Brothers movie of the same name?

I wish the interviewer would let the author speak more.

I love John Lahr's book The Autograph Hound definately an early book on stalking...

Luhr's lucidity despite rather than prompted by the interviewer who is himself the author of Angels in America

What was the name of his very last play?

@michelez715

3 жыл бұрын

Last play put on before his death, I think, was " Clothes for a summer hotel", but I don't know if it was the last play he wrote.

@mrtjdix6661

11 ай бұрын

Its title is: 'The One Exception".

Far better book on Tenn is James Grissom's, "Follies of the God."

@michelez715

3 жыл бұрын

I agree, but it's "Follies of God".

@miggy78

3 жыл бұрын

James Grissom knew Tennessee Williams so that helped…Lol

@arthurboehm

3 жыл бұрын

Poppycock! Grissom's book takes us in endless circles (that are somehow identical).

On on

Kushner is too much with all that gabling and arm waving.

@SlickRick-rc8cp

Жыл бұрын

You're right. I know him personally and he is a total ass.

V

Tennessee did use himself maybe too much, very method of the time

31:36 using obscure words like compismentis doesn't make u sound intelligent, it makes u sound far away, nobody can relate to the word you used. Use words that most people understand. If you know how to employ words well to connect fully with your audience...you sound smart

But hasn't the same thing been done with, for instance, Sylvia Plath? Even Andy Warhol, who claimed to divulge NOTHING through his work? AND isn't it rather simplistic to construct a work/life biography, unless you do it for sociological reasons, and NOT for the reason of litcrit? Frankly, I'd rather hear Gore Vidal talk about Tennessee Williams than read a book by someone who never knew him but tells me the same things....

@xyzllii

2 жыл бұрын

You obviously have not read the book...read it then have an opinion.