# Playwright August Wilson dies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2005, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playwright-august-wilson-dies/324804 "2005-10-04T23:37:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playwright-august-wilson-dies/324804/1 "2005-10-04T23:37:38Z")
Pulitzer- and Tony-winning playwright August Wilson [has died](http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/10/02/wilson.obit.ap/?section=cnn_latest) of liver cancer at age 60. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playwright-august-wilson-dies/324804/2 "2005-10-05T00:11:10Z")
This was mentioned in another [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=338013) that got no response. Seems a lot of people are not aware of his contribution to American theater. Too bad. He created a body of work that deserves more public recognition. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playwright-august-wilson-dies/324804/3 "2005-10-05T00:24:46Z")
I had no idea that he was that young. When you hear about all he had done, I just assumed that would have been closer to 80. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playwright-august-wilson-dies/324804/4 "2005-10-05T00:36:12Z")
Wow-and who will fill his shoes? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playwright-august-wilson-dies/324804/5 "2005-10-05T01:27:20Z")
A response is certainly warranted. August Wilson was a marvel, in many more ways than one. He gave the commencement address at the University of Washington in 2004–it was amazing, and wholly memorable. His literary works are well worth seeking out. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playwright-august-wilson-dies/324804/6 "2005-10-05T01:54:13Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > This was mentioned in another [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=338013) that got no response. Oops. I did check back to yesterday and didn’t see the thread. Still, if Don Adams can have two threads, August Wilson can too. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playwright-august-wilson-dies/324804/7 "2005-10-05T03:42:37Z")
I heard the news but missed the previous thread. Remarkable man… They’re going to name a theatre after him here in NYC. **eleanorigby** , the only person I can think of that _maybe_ can fill his shoes is Stephen Adly Guirgis, but that’s neither here nor there. Passionate about his work, and groundbreaking in his roles for African-American actors, he will be missed.