Harold Pinter Headshot

Harold Pinter

Birth Place: ENGLAND

Get Harold Pinter Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Harold Pinter BIO

Harold Pinter was an English playwright, screenwriter, director, and actor, widely regarded as one of the most influential and important dramatists of the 20th century. Born in Hackney, East London, on October 10, 1930, Pinter grew up in a working-class Jewish family. He attended Hackney Downs School, where he excelled in English literature and drama, and later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Pinter's early career was marked by a series of odd jobs, including working as a waiter, a sweeper, and a repertory actor. In 1957, he achieved his breakthrough as a playwright with his first full-length play, The Birthday Party, which premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London. The play was initially panned by critics, but it later became recognized as a masterpiece of modern drama.
Pinter's subsequent plays, including The Caretaker (1960), The Homecoming (1965), and Betrayal (1978), established him as a major force in the theatre world. His plays are known for their sparse, elliptical dialogue, their use of silence and pauses, and their exploration of power dynamics and human relationships. Pinter's work has been described as a blend of comedy and menace, a reflection of the absurdity and brutality of modern life.
In addition to his work as a playwright, Pinter was also a prolific screenwriter, penning scripts for films such as The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), The Handmaid's Tale (1990), and Sleuth (2007). He also directed several of his own plays, as well as films and television productions.
Pinter was a vocal political activist, and his work often reflected his left-wing views. He was a staunch critic of American foreign policy, particularly in relation to the Iraq War, and he was a member of the Stop the War Coalition. In 2005, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, in recognition of his "unmistakable voice, that with a minimum of means, captures the underlying universal truths of human existence."
Pinter's stage work was also recognized with numerous awards and accolades. He won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play for The Caretaker and The Homecoming, and he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play for Betrayal. He was also awarded the Companion of Honour in 2002, and the BAFTA Fellowship in 2005.
Pinter's legacy continues to influence contemporary theatre, film, and literature. His plays are regularly produced around the world, and his screenplays are studied in film schools and universities. His influence can be seen in the work of many contemporary playwrights, including David Mamet and Martin McDonagh.
Despite his success and critical acclaim, Pinter remained a private and enigmatic figure. He was married to actress Vivien Merchant from 1956 to 1980, and later to author Antonia Fraser. He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2001, but continued to work and write until his death on December 24, 2008.
In conclusion, Harold Pinter was a towering figure in 20th-century theatre, whose work continues to captivate and challenge audiences. His plays and screenplays are marked by their distinctive style and their exploration of power, politics, and human relationships. Pinter's legacy is a testament to the enduring power of art to illuminate and transform the world around us.

Harold Pinter Photos

Harold Pinter Productions

 
[Broadway, 2015]
Playwright
 
[Broadway, 1977]
Director
 
[Broadway, 1976]
Director
 
[Broadway, 1968]
Director

Writing

Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright

Harold Pinter Movies

The Servant
[ 1963 ] People in restaurant: Society Man
The Guest
[ 1963 ] writer
The Pumpkin Eater
[ 1964 ] writer
The Quiller Memorandum
[ 1966 ] writer
Modesty Blaise
[ 1966 ] writer
Accident
[ 1967 ] Bell - TV Producer
The Birthday Party
[ 1968 ] writer
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
[ 1970 ] Steven Hench
The Go-Between
[ 1971 ] writer
The Homecoming
[ 1973 ] writer
The Last Tycoon
[ 1976 ] writer
The French Lieutenant's Woman
[ 1981 ] writer
Betrayal
[ 1983 ] writer
Turtle Diary
[ 1985 ] Man in Bookshop
Reunion
[ 1989 ] writer
The Comfort of Strangers
[ 1990 ] writer
The Handmaid's Tale
[ 1990 ] writer
The Trial
[ 1993 ] writer
Mojo
[ 1997 ] Sam Ross
Mansfield Park
[ 1999 ] Sir Thom Bertram
The Tailor of Panama
[ 2001 ] Uncle Benny
Sleuth
[ 2007 ] Man on T.V.

Harold Pinter Awards and Nominations

The Lortels - 2011 - Outstanding Revival

Harold Pinter, The Collection & A Kind of Alaska


winner
Evening Standard Awards - 2004 - Lebedev Special Award

Harold Pinter


winner
The Lortels - 1999 - Outstanding Lifetime Achievement

Harold Pinter


winner
Olivier Awards - 1996 - The Society's Special Award

Harold Pinter

Olivier Awards - 1993 - Best Revival of a Play or Comedy

Harold PinterNo Man's Land

Olivier Awards - 1981 - Director of the Year

Harold PinterQuartermaine's Terms


winner
New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1980 - Best Foreign Play

Harold Pinter, Betrayal


winner
Olivier Awards - 1979 - Play of the Year

Harold PinterBetrayal

Drama Desk Awards - 1977 - Best New Foreign Play

Harold Pinter, No Man's Land

New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1977 - Best Play

Harold Pinter, No Man's Land

New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1972 - Best Foreign Play

Harold Pinter, Old Times

Tony Awards - 1972 - Best Play

Harold Pinter, Old Times

Tony Awards - 1969 - Best Direction of a Play

Harold Pinter, The Man in the Glass Booth


winner
New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1967 - Best Play

Harold Pinter, The Homecoming


winner
Tony Awards - 1967 - Best Play

Harold Pinter, The Homecoming

Tony Awards - 1962 - Best Play

Harold Pinter, The Caretaker


winner
Evening Standard Awards - 1960 - Best Play

Harold PinterThe Caretaker

Harold Pinter Videos

Harold Pinter News


Cast Set For Alan Ayckbourn's A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL at Salisbury Playhouse

The cast has been announced for Wiltshire Creative's upcoming production of Alan Ayckbourn's A Chorus of Disapproval, completing their 2024 spring season.

Full Cast Set For THE CHERRY ORCHARD at the Donmar Warehouse

Discover the full cast of Chekhov’s THE CHERRY ORCHARD, in a new version adapted and directed by Benedict Andrews, announced by Donmar Warehouse.

Soho Theatre Presents BOYS ON THE VERGE OF TEARS

Get the latest updates on the world premiere of BOYS ON THE VERGE OF TEARS at Soho Theatre, featuring a cast and creative team of stage and screen stars.

Greenwich Theatre Announces Cast For FROZEN

Greenwich Theatre reveals full cast and creative team for their production of Bryony Lavery's FROZEN.

F. Murray Abraham Will Appear in a Benefit Reading of Edward Albee's FRAGMENTS

​​​​​​​F. Murray Abraham will appear in a special benefit performance of Edward Albee's FRAGMENTS on Saturday, April 6th, 2024, 8:00PM at Debonair Music Hall.

VAULT Festival Fails to Secure Funding For New Home and Will Close

VAULT Creative Arts, the charity behind VAULT Festival, have announced the closure of VAULT Festival and the cancellation of plans for their new London home, after failing to secure the funding required to continue. 

SUNSET BOULEVARD, PLAZA SUITE, and More Nominated For Olivier Awards; Full List!

The nominations are in for this year's Olivier Awards! Among those nominated are Sunset Boulevard, Plaza Suite, The National Theatre, and many more. Check out the full list of nominations here!

Cape Ann Symphony Will Perform THE KNOWN (AND UNKNOWN) GREATS CONCERT

The Cape Ann Symphony’s 72nd Concert Season will continue with The Known (and Unknown) Greats Concert featuring world renowned pianist Janice Weber on Sunday, March 17  at 2 pm at Manchester-Essex High School auditorium.

DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTS World Premiere & More Set for Palm Beach Dramaworks 25th Season

Palm Beach Dramaworks will celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2024-25 with a  roster of plays that epitomize its commitment to “Theatre to Think About.” Learn about full programming and see how to purchase tickets.

Review: BETRAYAL at Irish Classical Theatre

Eavesdropping, snooping or just morbid curiosity seemed to be the scene set in Harold Pinter's play BETRAYAL now playing in a riveting production at Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre. The playgoer sits on the sidelines, witnessing a deeply personal story of three  broken people, best kept behind closed doors.  

DANCING AT LUGHNASA Comes to Austin in March

A masterwork in theatre storytelling about family, honor, hope, and the undeniable power of the past, Dancing at Lughnasa runs March 15 - 31 at Genesis Creative Collective.

Full Broadway Cast Set For PATRIOTS, Starring Michael Stuhlbarg, Will Keen, and More

The full Broadway cast has been announced for the Almeida Theatre production of Patriots, the new play by Peter Morgan. Learn more about the show and find out who is starring here!

Photos: GUYS AND DOLLS, DEAR ENGLAND, and More Take Home The Casting Directors' Guild Casting Awards; Full List!

The Casting Directors’ Guild has announced the winners for the 2024 CDG Casting Awards. Check out the full list of winners here, as well as photos from the night!

David Morrissey, Mathew Horne, Claudie Blakely and Elliot Barnes-Worrell Will Lead THE LOVER / THE COLLECTION at Theatre Royal Bath

Full casting has been announced for the The Lover / The Collection, a double bill of two works from one of the most influential British dramatists of the last century, Harold Pinter. 

Dame Rosemary Squire And Sir Howard Panter Receive Freedom Of The City Of London

The City of London Corporation has announced that theatre entrepreneurs Dame Rosemary Squire and Sir Howard Panter have received the Freedom of the City of London, in recognition of their contribution to theatre and the cultural life of London.

Cast Set For RSC's LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST

Full casting has been announced for director Emily Burns' playful and contemporary take on Shakespeare's comedy, Love's Labour's Lost, which runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 11 April – 18 May.

Cast Announced for AT THE WEDDING at Studio Theatre

The cast and crew has been announced for Bryna Turner's hilarious and meditative comedy At the Wedding, which will start performances on March 13. Learn more here!

Review Roundup: Jez Butterworth's THE HILLS OF CALIFORNIA

Jez Butterworth’s new play, The Hills of California, just celebrated opening night and we've got the consensus from the critics!

Great Barrington Public Theater to Host Live, Sit-Down Talk With Neil Pepe

Great Barrington Public Theater is inviting theater lovers and artists to take part in the company’s Conversation With Neil Pepe.

Review: THE HILLS OF CALIFORNIA, Harold Pinter Theatre

Death comes to us all and the spectre of the end of life often brings families together who may not have met for years, even decades. Jez Butterworth’s bittersweet and bitingly funny new play, The Hills of California, draws both on this and how events are shaped by memory and by who remembers them.

Harold Pinter FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many shows has Harold Pinter written?

Harold Pinter has written 22 shows including The Pinter Plays (Playwright), Play/ The Lover (Playwright), The New Pinter Plays (Playwright), The Birthday Party (Playwright), Tea Party/ The Basement (Playwright), The Local Stigmatic (Playwright), Landscape/ Silence (Playwright), Old Times (Playwright), The Homecoming (Playwright), No Man's Land (Playwright), The Hothouse (Playwright), Old Times (Playwright), Other Places (Playwright), The Birthday Party (Playwright), Mountain Language (Playwright), Moonlight (Playwright), Ashes to Ashes (Playwright), Betrayal (Playwright), The Caretaker (Playwright), Celebration and The Room (Playwright), The Homecoming (Playwright), The Collection & A Kind of Alaska: Two Plays by Harold Pinter (Playwright).

What awards has Harold Pinter been nominated for?

Harold Pinter has been nominated for several awards throughout his career, including Outstanding Revival at The Lortels for "The Collection" & "A Kind of Alaska," Lebedev Special Award at the Evening Standard Awards, Outstanding Lifetime Achievement at The Lortels, The Society's Special Award at the Olivier Awards, Best Revival of a Play or Comedy at the Olivier Awards for "No Man's Land," Director of the Year at the Olivier Awards for "Quartermaine's Terms," Best Foreign Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "Betrayal," Play of the Year at the Olivier Awards for "Betrayal," Best New Foreign Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "No Man's Land," Best Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "No Man's Land," Best Foreign Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "Old Times," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "Old Times," Best Direction of a Play at the Tony Awards for "The Man in the Glass Booth," Best Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "The Homecoming," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "The Homecoming," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "The Caretaker," and Best Play at the Evening Standard Awards for "The Caretaker."

What awards has Harold Pinter won?

Harold Pinter has won several awards, including the Lebedev Special Award at the Evening Standard Awards, Outstanding Lifetime Achievement at The Lortels, The Society's Special Award at the Olivier Awards, Best Foreign Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "Betrayal," Play of the Year at the Olivier Awards for "Betrayal," Best Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "The Homecoming," Best Play at the Tony Awards for "The Homecoming," and Best Play at the Evening Standard Awards for "The Caretaker."

Get Harold Pinter Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Videos