George Bernard Shaw

Profession: Playwright

Nationality:

Biography: George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist, and political activist who held a significant influence on Western theatre, culture, and politics at the turn of the 20th century. Born in Dublin, Shaw moved to London in 1876, where he would live for most of his life. He wrote more than sixty plays, with his most famous being Pygmalion (1912), which served as the inspiration for the musical My Fair Lady.

Shaw’s works often addressed social problems, with a particular focus on the injustices of the class system. He was a staunch socialist, and this informed much of his writing. He was also a co-founder of the London School of Economics and was involved with the Fabian Society, a socialist organization that advocated for the transformation of society by nonviolent means.

His plays are known for their wit, use of contemporary language, critiques of society and its morals, and explorations of character and class. Apart from Pygmalion, some of his notable works include Man and Superman (1903), Major Barbara (1905), and Saint Joan (1923). He was also a prolific essayist and speaker.

Shaw was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925, "for his work which is marked by both idealism and humanity, its stimulating satire often being infused with a singular poetic beauty." He is the only person to have won both the Nobel Prize for Literature and an Oscar, which he won for the film version of Pygmalion.

Born: July 26, 1856
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Star Sign: Leo

Died: November 2, 1950 (aged 94)
Cause of Death: Renal failure precipitated by injuries incurred by falling while pruning a tree.