Rattigan, Terence (1911-1977), was a British dramatist whose work reached a peak of popularity from the mid-1930’s through the 1950’s. Rattigan’s plays then fell out of fashion for many years. His works were conventional and realistic in form, and many critics dismissed them as lightweight social comedies. However, interest in his work revived during the 1990’s and 2000’s. Critics praised The Browning Version (1948), The Deep Blue Sea (1952), and Separate Tables (1954) as skillful character studies portraying the irrationality of love.
Rattigan gained fame with his first comedy, French Without Tears (1936). His other plays include Flare Path (1942), While the Sun Shines (1942), The Winslow Boy (1946), Variations on a Theme (1958), Ross (1960), Man and Boy (1963), A Bequest to the Nation (1970), and Cause Célèbre (1977). He also wrote television plays and film scripts, including film versions of his own plays.
Terence Mervyn Rattigan was born on June 10, 1911, in London. He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Oxford University. He was knighted in 1971. He died on Nov. 30, 1977.
