Tom Stoppard

Date of Birth: July 3, 1937

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Biography

Tom Stoppard, born Tomáš Straussler on July 3, 1937, in Zlín, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), is a British playwright renowned for his inventive use of language and insightful exploration of philosophical concepts. Stoppard’s family fled to Singapore during World War II, and after the Japanese invasion, they moved to India. His father died during the war, and his mother remarried Kenneth Stoppard, a British Army major, leading to Tom’s adoption of the surname Stoppard. Stoppard’s career began in journalism, but he soon moved to writing plays. His breakthrough came with “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” (1966), which won a Tony Award and established him as a major voice in contemporary theatre. His other notable works include “Arcadia” (1993), “The Real Thing” (1982), and the screenplay for “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), which won an Academy Award. Stoppard’s works often blend complex themes with wit and humor, making him one of the most celebrated dramatists of his time. He has received numerous awards and honors, including a knighthood in 1997 and the Order of Merit in 2000.

5 Interesting Facts about Tom Stoppard

1. Tom Stoppard was born in Zlín, Czechoslovakia, and his family fled to Singapore and then India during World War II.

2. He worked as a journalist before achieving fame as a playwright.

3. Stoppard has won four Tony Awards for Best Play: “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” “Travesties,” “The Real Thing,” and “The Coast of Utopia.”

4. He co-wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed film “Brazil” (1985), directed by Terry Gilliam.

5. Stoppard was knighted in 1997 and received the Order of Merit in 2000 for his contributions to literature.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Tom Stoppard

1. “Every exit is an entry somewhere else.”

2. “Life is a gamble, at terrible odds—if it was a bet you wouldn’t take it.”

3. “I write plays because dialogue is the most respectable way of contradicting myself.”

4. “We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke and the presumption that once our eyes watered.”

5. “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”