Writer, director and actor Douglas McGrath has died at the age of 64.
The Tony and Oscar nominee recently starred in his autobiographical Off-Broadway show Everything Is Beautiful which he also wrote. His death was announced on November 3 by the show’s producers Daryl Roth, Tom Werner and John Lithgow, who was also direct.
“Everything’s Fine has been honored to submit his solo offer,” the statement read. “Everyone who has worked with him over the past three months of production has been amazed by his grace, charm and delicious sense of humor, and he sends his deepest condolences to his family.”
The final performance was on November 2. The single about a dark incident in McGrath’s teenage years received strong reviews. Elizabeth Vincentelli wrote in The New York Times praised and praised It’s “a quality that can’t be looked at apart from a slow meltdown” claiming that “you may feel dazed but laugh, eager to hear what happened next while also dreading it.” Since then Vincentelli chirp His death was a “sudden horrible shock”.
No details of the cause of death were announced.
McGrath began his writing career for Saturday Night Live in 1980. He later received an Academy Award nomination in 1995 for co-writing the screenplay for Bullets Over Broadway in collaboration with Woody Allen. He has also appeared as an actor in several Allen films including Celebrity, Small Time Crooks, and Café Society.
He also worked as a writer and director for the 1996 adaptation of Emma, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, starring Nicholas Nickelby in 2002, starring Charlie Hunnam and Truman Capote’s infamous drama in 2006, and starring Toby Jones.
McGrath received a Tony nomination for writing the book The Beautiful: The Musical Carol King on Broadway. Writing for the Guardian newspaper in 2018.McGrath praised King for never asking him to “soften or improve the events of her life”. His other credits as a playwright included Checkers and Age of Innocence.
As an on-screen actor, McGrath has also been on The Quiz Show, Todd Solondz’s Happiness, 2007’s Michael Clayton and on multiple episodes of HBO’s Girls as director Toby Cook. Jenny Conner, who participated in the show and is one of the girls’ writers and directors chirp: “We had the best time with him on the girls. Such a huge talent. What a nice guy. Rest in peace.”
His wife Jane Reed Martin and son Henry McGrath are survived.
Future teen idol. Typical social media ninja. Alcohol buff. Explorer. Creator. Beer advocate.”