William Luce

William Aubert Luce (October 16, 1931 – December 9, 2019) was an American writer, primarily for the stage and television.[1] He wrote several plays which starred Julie Harris, and specialized in one-person plays.

For the governor of Aden, see William Luce (governor).
William Luce
BornWilliam Aubert Luce
(1931-10-16)October 16, 1931
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
DiedDecember 9, 2019(2019-12-09) (aged 88)
Green Valley, Arizona, U.S.
OccupationPlaywright, television writer
LanguageEnglish
GenresTheater, television

Early life and education

Luce was born on October 16, 1931, in Portland, Oregon, to Chauncey Darrel Luce and Eleanor Marie (Kuul) Luce.[2] He majored in piano at college.[3]

Awards and nominations

A member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, and Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, Luce received multiple awards and nominations for his work.[4]

Awards

Nominations
  • Writers Guild Award nominee: The Last Days of Patton (CBS television movie)
  • Writers Guild Award nominee: The Woman He Loved (CBS television movie)

Works

Stage

"Playwright William Luce picks his leading characters carefully, because they're usually the only ones in his shows."[3] Luce wrote the one-person play, The Belle of Amherst, which premiered on Broadway in 1976, starring Julie Harris as Emily Dickinson, among others, and directed by Charles Nelson Reilly. After opening on April 28, 1976 at the Longacre Theatre, it ran for 116 performances.[6] Subsequently, Harris toured around the country performing the play in multiple regional theatres.[7][8] His play about Charlotte Brontë, Bronte, starring Julie Harris and directed by Charles Nelson Reilly, was initially filmed in 1982 in Ireland, after several stage performances, and televised on Public Television in 1985. Harris subsequently performed the play in regional US theatre.[9]

His play Zelda, about Zelda Fitzgerald, premiered Off-Broadway in 1984 and starred Olga Bellin.[10] Luce turned this play into The Last Flapper, which was performed in regional U.S. theatres initially in 1987 by Piper Laurie, once again directed by Charles Nelson Reilly.[11][12]

He wrote the play, Lillian, about Lillian Hellman which ran on Broadway in 1986 and starred Zoe Caldwell.[13] His play, Lucifer's Child, based on the writings of Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen), appeared on Broadway in 1991 and starred Julie Harris.[14] He wrote the play Barrymore, which premiered on Broadway in 1997 and starred Christopher Plummer as John Barrymore.[15]

Opera

Luce wrote the libretto for the opera Gabriel's Daughter, with music by Henry Mollicone which premiered in 2003 at the Central City Opera House, Central City, Colorado.[16][17]

Television

The Belle of Amherst was adapted by Luce for an IBM Television Special, starring Julie Harris and directed by Charles S. Dubin.[18] The TV movie received an Emmy nomination for Best Actress and two Christopher Awards. The record album of the play received a Grammy Award. Thames Television (London) aired a production of the play starring Claire Bloom and directed by Adrian Brown, which received an International Emmy Award in 1987.

Luce wrote the screenplays for two television movies, both telecast on CBS. The Last Days of Patton (1986) starred George C. Scott and Eva Marie Saint; The Woman He Loved (1988) starred Jane Seymour, Anthony Andrews, and Julie Harris with direction by Charles Jarrott.[19]

Literary executor

His literary executor is author Grant Hayter-Menzies of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Personal life and death

Luce was with his longtime partner, Ray Lewis, for 50 years. Lewis was a designer of furniture and created an award-winning line the Fauna Collection, hand sculpted chairs in wood with animal motifs and then cast in metal.[20] Luce and Lewis lived in Depoe Bay, Oregon on the Pacific Coast from 1991 to 2001 when Lewis died at age 83.[21] Luce remained in their home until 2015 when he moved to Arizona, where he died from Alzheimer's disease in Green Valley, Arizona on December 9, 2019, at the age of 88.[22]

See also

References
  1. Barnes, Mike."William Luce, 'Belle of Amherst' and 'Barrymore' Playwright, Dies at 88" The Hollywood Reporter December 9, 2019
  2. Mayor, Dan."Belle of Amherst and Barrymore Playwright William Luce Dies at 88"Playbill December 10, 2019
  3. Ouzounian, Richard."Solos are William Luce's specialty" The Star (Toronto), December 17, 2010
  4. Concord Theatricals."Authors / William Luce" accessed March 18, 2020
  5. Peabody Awards Collection Archives."Masterpiece Radio Theatre (1979-10-14), Currer Bell, Esquire. Act 1" accessed February 26, 2020
  6. Gussow, Mel."Stage: 'Belle of Amherst'; Julie Harris Portrays Emily Dickinson" The New York Times (abstract), April 29, 1976
  7. Rohmann, Chris."Review:'The Belle of Amherst' at Columbus Center, Springfield, Mass." aislesay.com, accessed October 31. 2011
  8. Ehren, Christine."Julie Harris Returns to 'Belle of Amherst' Oct. 13 – Nov. 5 in Seattle" playbill.com, October 13, 2000
  9. Loynd, Ray."Stage Review : Delicate Harris Touch At Work In 'Bronte'" Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1987
  10. "Theater:'Zelda' by William Luce" The New York Times, October 24, 1984
  11. Vaughan, Peter."Piper Laurie Is Doing 1-Woman Stage Show Besides `Twin Peaks'" deseretnews.com (from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune), July 21, 1990
  12. Luce, William.The Last Flapper The Last Flapper (1990), Samuel French, Inc., ISBN 0-573-69168-1
  13. Rich, Frank."The Stage: Zoe Caldwell As Hellman In 'Lillian'" The New York Times, January 17, 1986
  14. Rich, Frank."Review/Theater; Genteel Vehicle For Julie Harris" The New York Times, April 5, 1991
  15. Luce, William."'Barrymore'" Barrymore: a play (1998), Samuel French, Inc., ISBN 0-573-64240-0
  16. Taufen, Amber."'Gabriel's Daughter'" westword.com, July 31, 2003
  17. "'Gabriel's Daughter' production, plot and reviews" henrymollicone.com, accessed October 31, 2011
  18. The Bell of Amherst Play. "William Luce" thebelleofamherstplay.com, visited February 28, 2020.
  19. O'Connor, John J."Review/Television; The Halls of Britain vs. the Streets of New York" The New York Times (webcache), April 1, 1988
  20. Silver Heron Art Gallery."Artist Gallery: Ray Lewis, Furniture"Silver Heron Art Gallery accessed February 24, 2020
  21. ObituaryNews Times June 22, 2011
  22. Barns, Mike."William Luce, 'Belle of Amherst' and 'Barrymore' Playwright, Dies at 88" The Hollywood Reporter December 9, 2019
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