David Mamet

Personal Info

Known ForWriting
Born1947-11-30
BirthplaceChicago, Illinois, USA

David Mamet

Writing

Biography

David Alan Mamet (/ˈmæmɪt/; born November 30, 1947) is an American playwright, author, and filmmaker.

He won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony nominations for his plays Glengarry Glen Ross(1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988). He first gained critical acclaim for a trio of 1970s off-Broadway plays: The Duck Variations, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, and American Buffalo. His plays, Race and The Penitent, respectively, opened on Broadway in 2009 and premiered off-Broadway in 2017.

Feature films that Mamet both wrote and directed include House of Games (1987), Homicide (1991), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), and his biggest commercial success, Heist (2001). His screenwriting credits include The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), The Verdict (1982), The Untouchables (1987), Hoffa (1992), Wag the Dog (1997), and Hannibal (2001). Mamet himself wrote the screenplay for the 1992 adaptation of Glengarry Glen Ross and wrote and directed the 1994 adaptation of his play Oleanna (1992). He created and produced the CBS series The Unit (2006–2009).

Mamet's books include: On Directing Film (1991), a commentary and dialogue about film-making; The Old Religion (1997), a novel about the lynching of Leo Frank; Five Cities of Refuge: Weekly Reflections on Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (2004), a Torah commentary with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner; The Wicked Son (2006), a study of Jewish self-hatred and antisemitism; Bambi vs. Godzilla, a commentary on the movie business; The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture (2011), a commentary on cultural and political issues; Three War Stories (2013), a trio of novellas about the physical and psychological effects of war; and Everywhere an Oink Oink: An Embittered, Dyspeptic, and Accurate Report of Forty Years in Hollywood (2023), an autobiographical account of his experiences in Hollywood.

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Notable Works

Prominent titles featuring David Mamet

Filmography

Acting (11)

Production & Directing (88)

2025
6.4
2025
6.4
6.0
2022
Just a SceneOriginal Story
2014
About Last NightTheatre Play
6.0
2013
Phil SpectorScreenplay
5.7
2013
Phil SpectorDirector
5.7
2013
Phil SpectorExecutive Producer
5.7
2010
1.0
2010
Two PaintersDirector
1.0
2010
7.0
2010
The MarqueeDirector
7.0
2010
Our ValleyDirector
1.0
2010
1.0
2008
RedbeltWriter
6.4
2008
RedbeltDirector
6.4
2006
EdmondWriter
6.0
2006
EdmondTheatre Play
6.0
2004
SpartanDirector
6.2
2004
SpartanScreenplay
6.2
2001
HeistDirector
6.3
2001
HeistWriter
6.3
2001
CatastropheDirector
6.4
2001
HannibalScreenplay
6.8
2000
6.3
2000
State and MainScreenplay
6.3
2000
LakeboatTheatre Play
4.7
2000
LakeboatWriter
4.7
1999
6.8
1999
6.8
1999
LanskyWriter
5.5
1998
RoninScreenplay
7.0
1997
Wag the DogScreenplay
6.9
6.8
1997
The EdgeScreenplay
6.9
1996
5.4
1996
American BuffaloTheatre Play
5.4
1994
OleannaDirector
6.2
1994
OleannaScreenplay
6.2
1994
OleannaLyricist
6.2
1994
OleannaTheatre Play
6.2
1994
6.7
1994
TexanWriter
8.0
6.5
1993
A Life in the TheatreExecutive Producer
6.5
1993
6.5
1992
HoffaScreenplay
6.3
1992
HoffaAssociate Producer
6.3
1992
7.3
1992
7.3
1992
The Water EngineTheatre Play
5.8
5.8
1991
7.0
1991
HomicideWriter
6.3
1991
HomicideDirector
6.3
1989
6.2
1989
The ShawlWriter
1988
6.2
1988
6.2
1988
Lip ServiceExecutive Producer
4.3
1987
6.8
1987
House of GamesScreenplay
6.8
6.8
7.8
1986
6.1
1982
The VerdictScreenplay
7.5
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AssassinationScreenplay
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The PrinceExecutive Producer
—
House of GamesOriginal Film Writer
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Speed the PlowTheatre Play
—
Speed the PlowScreenplay
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