William Rose (screenwriter)

William Rose (December 12, 1914 - February 10, 1987) was a major American screenwriter of British and Hollywood films.

Although born in Jefferson City, Missouri, after the 1939 outbreak of World War II Rose went to Canada and volunteered to fight overseas with the Black Watch. After being stationed at bases in Scotland and Europe, at war's end he returned to live in Britain to work as a screenwriter for Pinewood Studios. There, he became a working associate of the American-born director, Alexander Mackendrick, notably for their collaboration (screenwriter/director) on the very successful 1955 film, "The Ladykillers".

Blessed with the ability to adapt to two distinct cultures, William Rose wrote a number of popular British comedies including 1953's "Genevieve". He also provided scripts for Hollywood studios, earning several Academy Award nominations for his scriptwriting and winning the 1967 Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". Rose also won the Writers Guild of America award for Best Written American Comedy for 1966's, "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming". In 1973, Rose's lifetime achievements were recognized by the Writer's Guild with their "Laurel Award."

William Rose died in 1987 in Jersey, Channel Islands. In the 1970's, he had a brief relationship with Katharine Hepburn

creenwriting awards

Wins

*Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay : "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967)
*Bafta Award for Best British Screenplay : "The Ladykillers" (1955)

Nominations

*Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay : "Genevieve" (1953) & "The Ladykillers" (1955)
*Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay : "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" (1966)
*Bafta Award for Best British Screenplay : "The Maggie" (1954), "Touch and Go" (1955), "The Smallest Show on Earth" (1957), "The Man in the Sky" (1957)
*Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay : "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" (1966) & "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967)
*Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Comedy : "The Flim-Flam Man" (1967)
*Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Drama : "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967)
*Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Original Screenplay : "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967)

Filmography

*"The Secret of Santa Vittoria" (1969)
*"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967)
*"The Flim-Flam Man" (1967)
*"The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" (1966)
*"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963; with Tania Rose)
*"Scent of Mystery" (1960)
*"The Smallest Show on Earth" (1957)
*"The Man in the Sky" (1957)
*"The Ladykillers" (1955)
*"Touch and Go" (1955)
*"The Maggie" (1954)
*"Genevieve" (1953)
*"Gift Horse" (1952)
*"My Daughter Joy" (1950)
*"I'll Get You for This" (1950)
*"Esther Waters" (1948)
*"Once a Jolly Swagman" (1948)