Robert Pirosh
Encyclopedia
Robert Pirosh was an American
screenwriter
and director.
high school in 1928. His preparation for a career in Hollywood included study at the Sorbonne in France and the University of Berlin in Germany.
. The two collaborated on the Marx Brothers
' 1935 comedy A Night at the Opera
and their next film, A Day at the Races
in 1937.
He and Delmer Daves
adapted Ayn Rand
's Night of January 16th
for a 1941 film of the same name directed by William Clemens. In 1942 he collaborated on the screwball comedy
Rings on Her Fingers
for Henry Fonda
and Gene Tierney
.
Pirosh served in World War II as a Master Sergeant
with the 320th Regiment, 35th Infantry Division. He saw action in the Ardennes and Rhineland campaigns. During the Battle of the Ardennes
, he led a patrol into Bastogne
to support the surrounded American forces there. In 1944 he produced his first film, Danny Kaye
's Up in Arms
.
He earned an Academy Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay
in 1949
for his script for the World War II
drama Battleground, a film he also produced that was the first based on the Ardennes battle. His work was also honored in other venues that year. Pirosh won the Golden Globe
and the Writers Guild of America
awards.
In 1951, he was nominated for another Oscar for the screenplay Go for Broke!
. This was his directorial debut. He would go on to write the story for the highly regarded Steve McQueen
World War II
film Hell Is for Heroes
, directed by Don Siegel
, believed to be the basis for TV's Combat! (which he created). He also directed 1954's Valley of the Kings
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and director.
Early years
Pirosh was born in Baltimore, Maryland and graduated from the Baltimore City CollegeBaltimore City College
The Baltimore City College , also referred to as The Castle on the Hill, historically as The College, and most commonly City, is a public high school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The City College curriculum includes the International Baccalaureate Programme and emphasizes study in the classics...
high school in 1928. His preparation for a career in Hollywood included study at the Sorbonne in France and the University of Berlin in Germany.
Career
Pirosh began his film career in 1934 as a junior writer for MGM, working with fellow newcomer George SeatonGeorge Seaton
George Seaton was an American screenwriter, playwright, film director and producer, and theatre director.Born George Stenius in South Bend, Indiana, Seaton moved to Detroit after graduating from college to work as an actor on radio station WXYZ. John L...
. The two collaborated on the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
' 1935 comedy A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera (film)
A Night at the Opera is a 1935 American comedy film starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx, and featuring Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Margaret Dumont, Sig Ruman, and Walter Woolf King. It was the first film the Marx Brothers made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after their departure from...
and their next film, A Day at the Races
A Day at the Races (film)
Further reading* Elisabeth Buxbaum: Veronika, der Lenz ist da. Walter Jurmann – Ein Musiker zwischen den Welten und Zeiten. Mit einem Werkverzeichnis von Alexander Sieghardt. Edition Steinbauer, Wien 2006, ISBN 3-902494-18-2-External links:*...
in 1937.
He and Delmer Daves
Delmer Daves
Delmer Daves was an American screenwriter, director, and producer.-Life and career:Born in San Francisco, Delmer Daves first pursued a career as a lawyer...
adapted Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
's Night of January 16th
Night of January 16th
Night of January 16th is a play written by Ayn Rand, inspired by the death of the "Match King", Ivar Kreuger. First produced under a different name in 1934, it takes place entirely in a court room and is centered on a murder trial. It was a hit of the 1935-36 Broadway season...
for a 1941 film of the same name directed by William Clemens. In 1942 he collaborated on the screwball comedy
Screwball Comedy
Screwball Comedy is an album by the Japanese band Soul Flower Union. The album found the band going into a simpler, harder-rocking direction, after several heavily world-music influenced albums.-Track listing:...
Rings on Her Fingers
Rings on Her Fingers
Rings on Her Fingers is a 1942 screwball comedy film starring Henry Fonda and Gene Tierney. A poor man gets mistaken for a millionaire and is swindled out of his life savings.-Cast:* Henry Fonda as John Wheeler...
for Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda
Henry Jaynes Fonda was an American film and stage actor.Fonda made his mark early as a Broadway actor. He also appeared in 1938 in plays performed in White Plains, New York, with Joan Tompkins...
and Gene Tierney
Gene Tierney
Gene Eliza Tierney was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed as one of the great beauties of her day, she is best remembered for her performance in the title role of Laura and her Academy Award-nominated performance for Best Actress in Leave Her to Heaven .Other notable roles include...
.
Pirosh served in World War II as a Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
with the 320th Regiment, 35th Infantry Division. He saw action in the Ardennes and Rhineland campaigns. During the Battle of the Ardennes
Battle of the Ardennes
The Battle of the Ardennes was one of the opening battles of World War I. It took place from August 21–23, 1914, part of the Battle of the Frontiers.-Background:...
, he led a patrol into Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
to support the surrounded American forces there. In 1944 he produced his first film, Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
's Up in Arms
Up in Arms
Up in Arms is a 1944 film directed by Elliott Nugent. It stars Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore. It was nominated for two Academy Awards in 1945.-Cast:*Danny Kaye as Danny Weems*Dinah Shore as Nurse Lt. Virginia Merrill*Dana Andrews as Joe Nelson...
.
He earned an Academy Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay
Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best script not based upon previously published material. Before 1940, there was an Academy Award for Best Story for writing. For 1940, it and the award in this article were separated into two awards. Beginning with the...
in 1949
22nd Academy Awards
-Awards:Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.-Multiple nominations and awards:These films had multiple nominations:*8 nominations: The Heiress*7 nominations: All the King's Men, Come to the Stable...
for his script for the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
drama Battleground, a film he also produced that was the first based on the Ardennes battle. His work was also honored in other venues that year. Pirosh won the Golden Globe
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
and the Writers Guild of America
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
awards.
In 1951, he was nominated for another Oscar for the screenplay Go for Broke!
Go for Broke! (1951 film)
Go for Broke! is a 1951 war film directed by Robert Pirosh, produced by Dore Schary and starred Van Johnson, several veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Henry Nakamura....
. This was his directorial debut. He would go on to write the story for the highly regarded Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
film Hell Is for Heroes
Hell Is for Heroes (film)
Hell Is for Heroes is a 1962 war film directed by Don Siegel and starring Steve McQueen. It tells the story of a squad of American soldiers, who in the fall of 1944 must hold off an entire German company for approximately 48 hours along the Siegfried Line until reinforcements reach them.-Plot:Squad...
, directed by Don Siegel
Don Siegel
Donald Siegel was an influential American film director and producer. His name variously appeared in the credits of his films as both Don Siegel and Donald Siegel.-Early life:...
, believed to be the basis for TV's Combat! (which he created). He also directed 1954's Valley of the Kings
Valley of the Kings (film)
Valley of the Kings is a 1954 Eastmancolor adventure film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was written and directed by Robert Pirosh from a screenplay by Robert Pirosh and Karl Tunberg, "suggested by historical data" in the book Gods, Graves, and Scholars by C. W. Ceram...
.
Quotations
A Day at the Races (1937)- "If I hold you any closer, I'll be in back of you."
- "Room Service? Send up a larger room."
Selected works
- 1934 — A Day at the Races: Screenplay. OCLC 245961817
- 1949 — Battleground: Story and Screenplay. OCLC 213817432
External links
- Biography from Allmovie