Douglas McGrath Useless: Oscar Nominee and ‘Emma’ Author Was 64

Douglas McGrath, the Oscar and Tony-nominated author, actor and director, died Thursday in New York Metropolis. He was 64.

McGrath died of a coronary heart assault, in line with a report from the New York Instances.

McGrath was born and raised in Texas earlier than transferring to New Jersery to attend Princeton.

He started his profession at “Saturday Evening Reside,” which he joined in 1980, working alongside actors together with Chevy Chase, Laurie Metcalf and Al Franken.

McGrath garnered credit on reveals together with “L.A. Regulation” and “The Steven Banks Present” earlier than turning to characteristic movies. His first characteristic screenplay credit score was for “Born Yesterday,” starring Melanie Griffith, John Goodman and Don Johnson and his second, co-written with Woody Allen, was “Bullets Over Broadway,” which featured John Cusack, Dianne Wiest and Jennifer Tilly. The movie earned McGrath and Allen an Oscar nomination for finest authentic screenplay.

His subsequent mission was “Emma,” an adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel starring Gwyneth Paltrow within the lead function alongside Toni Collette, Alan Cumming and Ewan McGregor, which he additionally directed. The movie noticed McGrath nominated for a USC Scripter Award and a WGA award for finest tailored screenplay.

He later tailored Charles Dickens’ “Nicholas Nickelby” starring Charlie Hunnam, Jamie Bell and Christopher Plummer, which he additionally directed, and wrote “Notorious,” which featured Daniel Craig and Sandra Bullock. He additionally wrote, directed and appeared in “Firm Man” alongside Sigourney Weaver.

His most up-to-date directorial mission was a documentary about filmmaker Mike Nichols, which was nominated for an Emmy.

In addition to writing, McGrath acted in various initiatives, together with the cult TV collection “Women,” wherein he performed Principal Toby Cook dinner, Woody Allen’s “Cafe Society” alongside Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Steve Carell, and most lately Allen’s “Rifkin’s Pageant.”

McGrath additionally had a protracted affiliation with Broadway, and had been nominated for a Tony Award for his work on “Lovely,” a musical about Carole King. On the time of his dying, McGrath was starring in off-Broadway present “The whole lot’s Wonderful.” The autobiographical one-man present, which was directed by John Lithgow, shut down following McGrath’s dying.

“It’s with nice unhappiness that we cancel the remaining performances as a result of sudden dying of author and performer, Douglas McGrath,” learn a press release posted on the present’s web site. “The corporate of ‘The whole lot’s Wonderful’ was honored to have introduced his solo autobiographical play. Refunds shall be given to all ticket holders at your level of buy.”

As information of McGrath’s dying unfold, tributes poured in from most of the people and organizations with which he had labored. “We’ve misplaced Doug McGrath. Phrases can’t specific our grief and shock,” John Lithgow tweeted.

Singer Roseanne Money wrote: “A heartbreaking loss. Douglas was the individual you’d most prefer to have dinner with: charming, type, humorous, a born raconteur. My like to Jane & Henry, & to all those that beloved & admired him. I embody myself in that huge quantity.”

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The Dramatists Guild additionally paid tribute, writing: “DG mourns the lack of playwright/librettist/screenwriter Douglas McGrath. A member of the Guild since 2014, he was maybe finest identified in theatre because the bookwriter of the award-winning ‘Lovely: The Carole King Musical.’ Could his reminiscence be a blessing.”

McGrath is survived by his spouse Jane Learn Martin and his son Henry McGrath.