Voting Station

Joseph Stein

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Playwright

The Resume

    (May 30, 1912-October 24, 2010)
    Born in New York City, New York
    Best known for writing the book of the musical 'Fiddler on the Roof' (1964)
    Also wrote the books of 'Plain and Fancy' (1955), 'Mr. Wonderful' (1957), 'Juno' (1959), 'Take Me Along' (1959), 'Zorba' (1969), 'So Long 174th Street' (1976) and 'King of Hearts' (1978)
    Wrote the comedy 'Enter Laughing' (1963)
    Won the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theater (2007)
    Died of injuries from a fall at age 98

Why he might be annoying:

    While he was a writer for Your Show of Shows, he and his mother were watching an episode when she turned to him and asked, 'They pay you for this?'
    After he gained a reputation as a script doctor for revamping musicals like 'Irene' and 'Raisin,' he said, 'My parents always wanted me to be a doctor.'
    His last Broadway musical, 'Rags,' closed after only four performances (1986).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was a social worker until he had a chance encounter with Zero Mostel, who paid him $15 for some jokes that he improvised.
    He won a Tony for 'Fiddler.'
    At 96, he staged a successful revival of 'Enter Laughing.'
    According to his son Harry, he used his physical ailments, including prostate cancer, as a source of humor: 'He said he got some of his best material on the way to the grave.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 57 Votes: 64.91% Annoying