Arthur Penn, a serious minded director who, rare among his colleagues and despite a sporadic output, left a significant mark in both film and theatre. By the time Mr. Penn directed the 1967 movie "Bonnie and Clyde", an iconic film that ushered in an era of counterculture-inflected excellence in Hollywood, he had long established himself in the live television and stage worlds of New York City. In the late 1950's and early 60's, he staged back to back hit productions of two plays by William Gibson, Two for the Seesaw and The Miracle Worker, and the Pulitzer Prize winning dramatic adaptation of James Agee's "A Death in the Family", All the Way Home. Mr. Penn was nominated for a Tony Award for all three plays. He also directed, in 1960, the highly influential and sophisticated comedy performance, An Evening With Mike Nichols and Elaine May, which made stars of its two featured players.


After many years in film, Mr. Penn made a triumphant return to Broadway in 2002 with Fortune's Fool, an adaptation of the Turgenev novel. It won favor for its expert story telling, fluid staging and ensemble acting. The cast included Alan Bates in his last Broadway appearance, and Frank Langella, who won a Tony Award.

Source: Playbill.com