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[[file:John_Osborne_(playwright).jpg|thumb|left]] [[file:John_Osborne_by_Reginald_Gray.jpg|thumb|left]] [[file:JohnOsborne.jpg|thumb|right]] '''John Osborne''' (12 December 1929 – 24 December 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter, and actor, known for his excoriating prose and intense critical stance towards established social and political norms. He is best remembered for his play ''[[Look Back in Anger]]'', which transformed English theatre.

== Early Life ==
John James Osborne was born in [[London]], England. He was the son of Thomas Godfrey Osborne, a commercial artist and advertising copywriter, and Nellie Beatrice Grove, a barmaid. Osborne's father died in 1941, and he was subsequently sent to a series of boarding schools, from which he was expelled. He left school at the age of 16 and began working as a journalist and later as a stage manager and actor.

== Career ==
Osborne's career as a playwright began in earnest with the production of ''[[Look Back in Anger]]'' in 1956 by the [[English Stage Company]] at the [[Royal Court Theatre]]. The play was a critical and commercial success and is often credited with launching the "[[Angry Young Men]]" movement in British theatre. The protagonist, Jimmy Porter, became an iconic figure of post-war British disillusionment.

Following the success of ''Look Back in Anger'', Osborne wrote several other notable plays, including ''[[The Entertainer (play)|The Entertainer]]'' (1957), ''[[Luther (play)|Luther]]'' (1961), and ''[[Inadmissible Evidence]]'' (1964). His work often explored themes of social alienation, class conflict, and the struggles of the individual against societal constraints.

== Personal Life ==
Osborne's personal life was marked by a series of tumultuous relationships. He was married five times, to actresses Pamela Lane, Mary Ure, Penelope Gilliatt, Jill Bennett, and Helen Dawson. His marriages were often stormy and ended in divorce or estrangement.

== Later Years and Death ==
In his later years, Osborne's output slowed, and he became increasingly reclusive. He continued to write, producing works such as ''[[A Better Class of Person]]'' (1981), an autobiography, and ''[[Deja Vu (play)|Déjà Vu]]'' (1991), a sequel to ''Look Back in Anger''. Osborne died of complications from diabetes on 24 December 1994 at his home in [[Shropshire]].

== Legacy ==
John Osborne is widely regarded as one of the most influential playwrights of the 20th century. His work has had a lasting impact on British theatre and has inspired generations of playwrights. The raw emotional power and social critique in his plays continue to resonate with audiences today.

== Selected Works ==
* ''[[Look Back in Anger]]'' (1956)
* ''[[The Entertainer (play)|The Entertainer]]'' (1957)
* ''[[Luther (play)|Luther]]'' (1961)
* ''[[Inadmissible Evidence]]'' (1964)
* ''[[A Patriot for Me]]'' (1965)
* ''[[West of Suez]]'' (1971)
* ''[[A Better Class of Person]]'' (1981)
* ''[[Déjà Vu (play)|Déjà Vu]]'' (1991)

== See Also ==
* [[Angry Young Men]]
* [[Royal Court Theatre]]
* [[English Stage Company]]
* [[British theatre]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External Links ==
{{Commons category|John Osborne}}
{{Wikiquote|John Osborne}}

[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:English dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:English screenwriters]]
[[Category:People from London]]
[[Category:20th-century English writers]]
[[Category:20th-century British dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:English male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:English male screenwriters]]

{{Playwright-stub}}

John Osborne - Revision history

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