Julius J. Epstein (August 22, 1909December 30, 2000) was an American
screenwriter
A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based.
...
, who had a long career, best remembered for his screenplay, written with his twin brother,
Philip
Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who populariz ...
, and
Howard E. Koch, of the film ''
Casablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
'' (1942), for which the writers won an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
. It was adapted from an unpublished play, ''
Everybody Comes to Rick's
''Everybody Comes to Rick's'' is an American play that was bought unproduced by Warner Brothers for a record figure of $20,000 (). It was adapted for film as ''Casablanca'' (1942), starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Written by Murray B ...
,'' written by Murray Bennett and Joan Alison.
[
His identical twin died in 1952, a loss that he felt for the rest of his life. He continued writing, receiving two more ]Oscar nomination
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
s. In 1998, he received a Los Angeles Film Critics Association
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975.
Background
Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles-based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organiza ...
career achievement award. His credits included '' Four Daughters'' (1938) for which he received his first Oscar nomination, ''The Bride Came C.O.D.
''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' is a 1941 American screwball romantic comedy starring James Cagney as an airplane pilot and Bette Davis as a runaway heiress, and directed by William Keighley. Although the film was publicized as the first screen pairin ...
'' (1941), ''The Man Who Came to Dinner
''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' is a comedy play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939, at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, where it ran until 1941, closing after 739 performances. It then enjoyed a number of N ...
'' (1942), ''Mr. Skeffington
''Mr. Skeffington'' is a 1944 American drama film directed by Vincent Sherman, based on the 1940 novel of the same name by Elizabeth von Arnim.
The film stars Bette Davis as a beautiful but self-centered woman who has many suitors but marries Jo ...
'' (1944), '' The Tender Trap'' (1955), '' Light in the Piazza'' (1962), ''Send Me No Flowers
''Send Me No Flowers'' is a 1964 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison from a screenplay by Julius Epstein, based on the play of the same name by Norman Barasch and Carroll Moore, which had a brief run on Broadway in 1960. ...
'' (1964), ''Pete 'n' Tillie
''Pete 'n' Tillie'' is a 1972 American comedy-drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett. Its advertising tagline was: "Honeymoon's over. It's time to get married."
Screenwriter Julius J. Epstein was nomin ...
'' (1972), ''Cross of Iron
''Cross of Iron'' (German: ''Steiner – Das Eiserne Kreuz'', lit. "Steiner – The Iron Cross") is a 1977 war film directed by Sam Peckinpah, featuring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason and David Warner. Set on the Eastern Fron ...
'' (1977) and ''Reuben, Reuben
''Reuben, Reuben'' is a 1983 comedy-drama film directed by Robert Ellis Miller and starring Tom Conti, Kelly McGillis (in her film debut), Roberts Blossom, Cynthia Harris, and Joel Fabiani.
The film was adapted by Julius J. Epstein from the 196 ...
'' (1983).
Epstein had a less successful result as a playwright in Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''T ...
. His play, ''But, Seriously'' (starring Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss (; born Dreyfus; October 29, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for starring in popular films during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, including '' American Graffiti'' (1973), ''Jaws'' (1975), '' Close Encounters of the ...
and Tom Poston
Tom or TOM may refer to:
* Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name)
Characters
* Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head''
* Tom Beck, a character ...
) would prove to be the last to be staged at Henry Miller's Theatre
The Stephen Sondheim Theatre, formerly Henry Miller's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 124 West 43rd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Owned by the Durst Organization and managed by the Roundabout Theatre ...
for more than 30 years, opening on February 27, 1969, and closing after only four performances.
Biography
Epstein was born Julius Epstein as a twin to his brother Philip to a Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
family on August 22, 1909 on the Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets.
Traditionally an im ...
of Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
in New York City, New York
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. Their parents owned a livery stable at a time when horses were widely used in the city. He and Philip both graduated from The Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State becam ...
in 1931, where they were champions in boxing; Julius became an NCAA Bantamweight Champion.[ He graduated with a BA in Arts and Letters. He maintained close ties with Penn State throughout his life (often as a guest lecturer at the film school). At his request, he was buried in a Penn State polo shirt.
After college, the Epsteins went to Hollywood, hoping to work in the movies. They became successful screenwriters and began collaborating in 1939. They were noted for their Academy Award-winning '']Casablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
,'' written together with Howard Koch and the uncredited Casey Robinson
Kenneth Casey Robinson (October 17, 1903 – December 6, 1979) was an American producer and director of mostly B movies and a screenwriter responsible for some of Bette Davis' most revered films. Film critic Richard Corliss once described him a ...
.
Jack L. Warner
Jack Leonard Warner (born Jacob Warner; August 2, 1892 – September 9, 1978) was a Canadian-American film executive, who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. Warner's career spanned some ...
, head of Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
, had a tortuous relationship with the Epstein twins. While he could not argue with their commercial acumen, he deplored their pranks, their work habits and the hours they kept. In 1952, Warner gave their names to the House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative United States Congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives, create ...
(HUAC). They never testified before the committee, but on a HUAC questionnaire, when asked if they ever were members of a "subversive organization," they responded, "Yes. ''Warner Brothers''."
Epstein married the actress Frances Sage and they had two children, James and Elizabeth. They later divorced. Epstein married Ann (1919-2003) and they had a son Philip, who died in 2000.[
He died on December 30, 2000, in ]Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
.
Career
Epstein shared an Academy Award nomination for the screenplay of '' Four Daughters,'' written with Lenore Coffee
Lenore Jackson Coffee (July 13, 1896 – July 2, 1984) was an American screenwriter, playwright, and novelist.
Biography
Lenore was born in San Francisco in 1896 to Andrew Jackson Coffee Jr. and Ella Muffley. She attended Dominican College ...
(with Thyra Samter Winslow contributing to the treatment and Lawrence Kimble
Lawrence Edwin Kimble (September 21, 1904 – September 3, 1977) was an American screenwriter.
Early life and career
On September 21, 1904, Kimble was born in Bakersfield, California, one of five children born to Sarah Elizabeth Stanley and Arth ...
contributing to the script), as an adaptation from Frances Hurst's novel, ''Sister Act.''
In 1944, the Epstein brothers attempted their first film in the capacity of both writers and producers with "Mr. Skeffington
''Mr. Skeffington'' is a 1944 American drama film directed by Vincent Sherman, based on the 1940 novel of the same name by Elizabeth von Arnim.
The film stars Bette Davis as a beautiful but self-centered woman who has many suitors but marries Jo ...
." The picture was a box-office success and won both Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...
and Claude Rains
William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was a British actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. After his American film debut as Griffin (The Invisible Man), Dr. Jack Griffin in ''The Invisible Man (1933 film), The Invisible Ma ...
Oscar nominations.[Joanne L. Yeck, "Julius & Philip Epstein," Films and Filmmakers Series (Writers and Production Artists), St. James Press. 1987.][Joanne L. Yeck, "Julius J. Epstein" an interview, Magill's Survey of Cinema, 1984, Salem Press, Inc. 1984.] After leaving Warner Bros. in 1948, the Epstein brothers wrote five more screenplays together, two of which, ''The Last Time I Saw Paris
''The Last Time I Saw Paris'' is a 1954 American Technicolor romantic drama made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Babylon Revisited." It was directed by Richard Brooks, produced by Jack Cummings ...
'' and ''The Brothers Karamazov
''The Brothers Karamazov'' (russian: Братья Карамазовы, ''Brat'ya Karamazovy'', ), also translated as ''The Karamazov Brothers'', is the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky spent nearly two years writing '' ...
'', were released after Philip Epstein's death in 1952.
Notable quote
About writing under the studio system of the 1930s and '40s, Epstein said in a 1984 interview:
There wasn't one moment of reality in 'Casablanca.' We weren't making art. We were making a living. Movies in those days were prevented from reality. Every leading man had to be a great sexual athlete. Every boy and girl had to 'meet cute,' and the girl had to dislike the hero when they met. If a woman committed adultery
Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...
, she had to die. Now the woman who commits adultery is your heroine.
Works
*'' Four Daughters'' (1938), for which he received his first Oscar nomination for an adapted screenplay.
Together, he and his brother collaborated on the following:
*''Casablanca
Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
'' (1942)
*'' The Strawberry Blonde'' (1941)
*''The Bride Came C.O.D.
''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' is a 1941 American screwball romantic comedy starring James Cagney as an airplane pilot and Bette Davis as a runaway heiress, and directed by William Keighley. Although the film was publicized as the first screen pairin ...
'' (1941)
*''The Man Who Came to Dinner
''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' is a comedy play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939, at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, where it ran until 1941, closing after 739 performances. It then enjoyed a number of N ...
'' (1942)
*'' Arsenic and Old Lace'' (1944)
*''Mr. Skeffington
''Mr. Skeffington'' is a 1944 American drama film directed by Vincent Sherman, based on the 1940 novel of the same name by Elizabeth von Arnim.
The film stars Bette Davis as a beautiful but self-centered woman who has many suitors but marries Jo ...
'' (1944)
*'' My Foolish Heart'' (1949)
*''The Last Time I Saw Paris
''The Last Time I Saw Paris'' is a 1954 American Technicolor romantic drama made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Babylon Revisited." It was directed by Richard Brooks, produced by Jack Cummings ...
'' (1954; released 2 years after Philip's death)
*''The Brothers Karamazov
''The Brothers Karamazov'' (russian: Братья Карамазовы, ''Brat'ya Karamazovy'', ), also translated as ''The Karamazov Brothers'', is the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky spent nearly two years writing '' ...
'' (1954; released 6 years after Philip's death)
After his brother's death in 1952, Epstein continued to write. His later films include:
*'' The Tender Trap'' (1955)
*'' Light in the Piazza'' (1962)
*''Send Me No Flowers
''Send Me No Flowers'' is a 1964 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison from a screenplay by Julius Epstein, based on the play of the same name by Norman Barasch and Carroll Moore, which had a brief run on Broadway in 1960. ...
'' (1964)
*''Return from the Ashes
''Return from the Ashes'' is a 1965 British thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Ingrid Thulin, Maximilian Schell, Samantha Eggar and Herbert Lom. It is based on a novel by French crime writer Hubert Monteilhet, adapted f ...
'' (1965)
*''Pete 'n' Tillie
''Pete 'n' Tillie'' is a 1972 American comedy-drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett. Its advertising tagline was: "Honeymoon's over. It's time to get married."
Screenwriter Julius J. Epstein was nomin ...
'' (1972)
*''House Calls
A house call is medical consultation performed by a doctor or other healthcare professionals visiting the home of a patient or client, instead of the patient visiting the doctor's clinic or hospital. In some locations, families used to pay due ...
'' (1978)
*''Reuben, Reuben
''Reuben, Reuben'' is a 1983 comedy-drama film directed by Robert Ellis Miller and starring Tom Conti, Kelly McGillis (in her film debut), Roberts Blossom, Cynthia Harris, and Joel Fabiani.
The film was adapted by Julius J. Epstein from the 196 ...
'' (1983)
He wrote screenplays for more than 50 films in his 50-year career.
Family
Epstein has two living children: a daughter, Elizabeth, and a son, James Epstein, who is a criminal lawyer in Los Angeles. Another son, Philip Epstein, died in 2000.
After his twin brother's death, Epstein looked out for Philip's son, Leslie, who became a novelist and director of the creative writing
Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary ...
program at Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original cam ...
. Epstein was the great-uncle of Leslie's children: Theo Epstein
Theo Nathaniel Epstein (born December 29, 1973) is an American Major League Baseball executive, who currently works for MLB as a consultant. He was the vice president and general manager for the Boston Red Sox and then the president of baseball ...
, former Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
President of Baseball Operations and former Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
general manager, and Anya Epstein, a television writer.
Legacy and honors
*1939: Nomination for Academy Award for his adapted screenplay for '' Four Daughters,'' adapted from Fannie Hurst's novel, ''Sister Act''.
*1943: Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for ''Casablanca,'' adapted from an unproduced play, ''Rick's Cafe''
*1973: Nomination for Academy Award for his adapted screenplay for ''Pete 'n' Tillie
''Pete 'n' Tillie'' is a 1972 American comedy-drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett. Its advertising tagline was: "Honeymoon's over. It's time to get married."
Screenwriter Julius J. Epstein was nomin ...
,'' adapted from two novels by Peter De Vries
Peter De Vries (February 27, 1910 – September 28, 1993) was an American editor and novelist known for his satiric wit. He has been described by the philosopher Daniel Dennett as "probably the funniest writer on religion ever".
Biography
De Vr ...
.
*1984: Nomination for Academy Award for screenplay of ''Reuben, Reuben
''Reuben, Reuben'' is a 1983 comedy-drama film directed by Robert Ellis Miller and starring Tom Conti, Kelly McGillis (in her film debut), Roberts Blossom, Cynthia Harris, and Joel Fabiani.
The film was adapted by Julius J. Epstein from the 196 ...
'', based on a De Vries novel.
*1998: Los Angeles Film Critics Association
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975.
Background
Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles-based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organiza ...
career achievement award.
*He received a Writers Guild of America Award.
References
External links
*
*
Julius J. Epstein
at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
Obituary
on bbc.co.uk
BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, the childr ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Epstein, Julius J.
1909 births
2000 deaths
Jewish American writers
Writers from New York City
Pennsylvania State University alumni
Writers Guild of America Award winners
Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award winners
American male screenwriters
Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
American identical twins
20th-century American male writers
Screenwriters from New York (state)
20th-century American screenwriters
20th-century American Jews