The American Clock
Encyclopedia
The American Clock is a play
by Arthur Miller
. The play is about 1930s America during The Great Depression. It is based in part on Studs Terkel
's Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression
. The play premiered on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre
on November 11, 1980; closing on November 30, 1980 after 23 performances. The cast included Miller's younger sister, Joan Copeland
, who won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play
for her portrayal of Rose Baum.
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
by Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons , Death of a Salesman , The Crucible , and A View from the Bridge .Miller was often in the public eye,...
. The play is about 1930s America during The Great Depression. It is based in part on Studs Terkel
Studs Terkel
Louis "Studs" Terkel was an American author, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1985 for The Good War, and is best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans, and for hosting a long-running radio show in Chicago.-Early...
's Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression
Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression
"Hard Times": An Oral History of the Great Depression is a telling of the oral history of the Great Depression written by Studs Terkel. It is a firsthand account of people of varying socio-economic status who lived in the United States during the Great Depression.The first edition of the book was...
. The play premiered on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre
Biltmore Theatre
The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 261 West 47th Street in midtown-Manhattan.-History:...
on November 11, 1980; closing on November 30, 1980 after 23 performances. The cast included Miller's younger sister, Joan Copeland
Joan Copeland
Joan Copeland is an American actress and the younger sister of celebrated playwright Arthur Miller. She began her career appearing in theatre in New York City during the mid 1940s. She moved into television and film during the 1950s while still maintaining an active stage career...
, who won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play
The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play was first awarded at the 1974–1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since...
for her portrayal of Rose Baum.
Characters
- Lee Baum
- Rose Baum (Lee's Mother)
- Arthur A. Robertson
- Clarence, a shoeshine man
- Fanny Margolies (Rose's Sister)
- Sidney Margolies (Fanny's son)
- Lucille (Fanny's daughter)
- Grandpa (Rose's Father)
- Frank (The Baums' Chauffeur)
- Dr. Rossman
- Jesse Livermore
- William Durant
- Arthur Clayton
- Tony (Speakeasy Owner)
- Diana Morgan
- Henry Taylor (A Farmer)
- Irene
- Banks, a black veteran
- Judge Bradley
- Sheriff
- Isaac
- Moe Baum (Lee's Father)
- Brewster
- Doris Gross (Sidney's wife)
- Stanislaus