Occupation Playwright, Actor Role Playwright Nationality American Movies Mass Appeal | Period 1980-present Plays Mass Appeal, Wrestlers Name Bill Davis | |
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Books Avow, Dancing in the End Zone Awards Outer Critics Circle Award for John Gassner Playwriting Award Nominations Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play Similar People Glenn Jordan, Milo O'Shea, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Lawrence Turman | ||
Bill C. Davis is an American playwright and actor of Italian, Irish, and Russian-Jewish heritage. He is best known for his 1980 play Mass Appeal. Other works by Davis include Dancing in the End-Zone, Wrestlers, Spine, Avow, Coming2Terms, All Hallowed, Jeremiah Rules, Expatriate, and Austin's Bridge.
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Biography
Davis was born in Ellenville, New York and grew up in the Hudson Valley. He grew up attending Catholic schools, and later went to Marist College where he graduated cum laude. Upon graduation, he worked at Rhinebeck Country Village, a residential community for developmentally disabled and emotionally disturbed adults. Davis wrote Mass Appeal during his time working and living at Rhinebeck.
Career
Davis has had success as an actor, occasionally performing lead roles in his own plays. He has performed in Mass Appeal several times, opposite Charles Durning, Brian Keith, and Milo O'Shea and in his play Wrestlers opposite Mark Harmon in Los Angeles and Elizabeth Berridge in New York City.
Originally performed in several small theatres, Mass Appeal later had a successful run on Broadway. Davis later adapted the script for the 1984 film of the same title which starred Jack Lemmon and Zeljko Ivanek.
Since the success of Mass Appeal, Davis has continued to have several of his works performed on and off Broadway, as well as at regional, national, and international theatres around the world, as well as colleges and universities.
He adapted the novel The Secret Path for CBS television starring Ossie Davis and Della Reese. His short story "Family Meeting" was published by Dutton Press.
He has been the recipient of several awards including the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Moliere Award, Critic's Choice LA Times, a National Board of Review citation and the Dramalogue Award
He has directed several productions of his plays – Spine (Cast Theatre – George Street Playhouse), Mass Appeal (Irish Arts Center, NYC; The New Theatre, Dublin; Shubert Theatre, Birmingham, MI.), Coming2Terms (The Vineyard Playhouse), and Expatriate (Manhattan Theatre Source)
Davis was Playwright in residence at MTC for 2 years, Playwright-in-residence at Brooklyn College for one year, and Playwright Mentor at Carnegie Mellon for one year.
Davis made a brief run for Congress for the fifth district of Connecticut on the Green Party.