Harold Pinter

Harold Pinter (1930–2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and director. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he worked as an actor on various regional stages until 1957. He gained international recognition with plays including *The Birthday Party* and *The Caretaker*, which became influential works of modern British drama. He also wrote screenplays, radio and television plays, and the novel *The Dwarfs*. From the 1980s onward, he publicly campaigned against human rights violations. His many distinctions included the Austrian State Prize for European Literature, the Laurence Olivier Award and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2005.