Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Drama

Last updated
Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Drama
Awarded forOutstanding Writing for a Dramatic Film
CountryUnited States
Presented by Writers Guild of America
First awarded1949
Last awarded1984
Website http://www.wga.org

The Writers Guild Award for Best Written Drama was an award presented from 1949 to 1984 by the Writers Guild of America, after which it was discontinued.

Contents

Winners & Nominees [1]

Notes

1940s

YearFilmWriter(s)
1948

(1st) [2]

The Snake Pit Frank Partos and Millen Brand
All My Sons Chester Erskine
Another Part of the Forest Vladimir Pozner
Berlin Express Harold Medford
Call Northside 777 Jerome Cady, and Jay Dratler
Command Decision William R. Laidlaw, and George Froeschel
I Remember Mama Dewitt Bodeen
Johnny Belinda Irma von Cube, and Allen Vincent
Key Largo Richard Brooks, and John Huston
Sorry, Wrong Number Lucille Fletcher
The Naked City Albert Maltz, and Malvin Wald
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre John Huston
1949

(2nd) [3]

All the King's Men Robert Rossen
Battleground Robert Pirosh
Champion Carl Foreman
Intruder in the Dust Ben Maddow
The Hasty Heast Ranald MacDougall
The Heiress Ruth Goetz, and Augustus Goetz
The Window Mel Dinelli

1950s

YearFilmWriter(s)
1950

(3rd) [4]

Sunset Boulevard Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, and D.M. Marshman Jr.
All About Eve Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Panic in the Streets Richard Murphy
The Asphalt Jungle Ben Maddow, and John Huston
The Men Carl Foreman
1951

(4th) [5]

A Place in the Sun Michael Wilson and Harry Brown
A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams
Death of a Salesman Stanley Roberts
Detective Story Philip Yordan, and Robert Wyler
Fourteen Hours John Paxton
1952

(5th) [6]

High Noon Carl Foreman
5 Fingers Michael Wilson
Come Back, Little Sheba Ketti Frings
Moulin Rouge Anthony Veiller, and John Huston
The Bad and the Beautiful Charles Schnee
1953

(6th) [7]

From Here to Eternity Daniel Taradash
Above and Beyond Melvin Frank, Norman Panama, and Beirne Lay Jr.
Little Fugitive Ray Ashley
Martin Luther Allan Sloane, and Lothar Wolff
Shane A. B. Guthrie Jr.
1954

(7th) [8]

On the Waterfront Budd Schulberg
Executive Suite Ernest Lehman
Rear Window John Michael Hayes
The Barefoot Contessa Joseph L. Mankiewicz
The Country Girl George Seaton
1955

(8th) [9]

Marty Paddy Chayefsky
Bad Day at Black Rock Millard Kaufman
Blackboard Jungle Richard Brooks
East of Eden Paul Osborn
Picnic Daniel Taradash
1956

(9th) [10]

Friendly Persuasion Michael Wilson
Baby Doll Tennessee Williams
Giant Fred Guiol, and Ivan Moffat
Somebody Up There Likes Me Ernest Lehman
The Rainmaker N. Richard Nash
1957

(10th) [11]

12 Angry Men Reginald Rose
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison John Lee Mahin, and John Huston
Paths of Glory Stanley Kubrick, Calder Willingham, and Jim Thompson
Peyton Place John Michael Hayes
Sayonara Paul Osborn
1958

(11th) [12]

The Defiant Ones Harold Jacob Smith, and Nedrick Young
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Richard Brooks, and James Poe
I Want to Live! Nelson Gidding, and Don Mankiewicz
Separate Tables Terence Rattigan, and John Gay
The Long, Hot Summer Irving Ravetch, and Harriet Frank Jr.
1959

(12th) [13]

The Diary of Anne Frank Frances Goodrich, and Albert Hackett
Anatomy of a Murder Wendell Mayes
Ben-Hur Karl Tunberg
Compulsion Richard Murphy
The Nun's Story Robert Anderson

1960s

YearFilmWriter(s)
1960

(13th) [14]

Elmer Gantry Richard Brooks
Sons and Lovers Gavin Lambert, and T.E.B. Clarke
Psycho Joseph Stefano
Spartacus Dalton Trumbo
The Sundowners Isobel Lennart
1961

(14th) [15]

The Hustler Sidney Carroll, and Robert Rossen
A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry
Fanny Julius J. Epstein
Judgment at Nuremberg Abby Mann
The Innocents William Archibald, and Truman Capote
1962

(15th) [16]

To Kill a Mockingbird Horton Foote
Billy Budd Peter Ustinov, and DeWitt Bodeen
Birdman of Alcatraz Guy Trosper
Freud Charles Kaufman, and Wolfgang Reinhardt
The Miracle Worker William Gibson
1963

(16th) [17]

Hud Harriet Frank Jr., and Irving Ravetch
America America Elia Kazan
Captain Newman, M.D. Richard L. Breen, Phoebe Ephron, and Henry Ephron
The Balcony Ben Maddow
The Great Escape James Clavell, and W.R. Burnett
The Ugly American Stewart Stern
1964

(17th) [18]

Becket Edward Anhalt
One Potato, Two Potato Raphael Hayes, and Orville H. Hampton
Seven Days in May Rod Serling
The Best Man Gore Vidal
The Night of the Iguana Anthony Veiller, and John Huston
1965

(18th) [19]

The Pawnbroker Morton S. Fine
A Patch of Blue Guy Green
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Paul Dehn, and Guy Trosper
The Collector Stanley Mann, and John Kohn
Ship of Fools Abby Mann
1966

(19th) [20]

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Ernest Lehman
Harper William Goldman
The Professionals Richard Brooks
The Sand Pebbles Robert Anderson
1967

(20th) [21]

Bonnie and Clyde Robert Benton, and David Newman
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner William Rose
In Cold Blood Richard Brooks
In the Heat of the Night Stirling Silliphant
Up the Down Staircase Tad Mosel
1968

(21st) [22]

The Lion in Winter James Goldman
Petulia Lawrence B. Marcus
Rachel, Rachel Stewart Stern
Rosemary's Baby Roman Polanski
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Thomas C. Ryan
1969
(22nd) [23]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
Midnight Cowboy Waldo Salt
Anne of the Thousand Days John Hale, and Bridget Boland
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Jay Presson Allen
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? James Poe, and Robert E. Thompson
True Grit Marguerite Roberts
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid William Goldman
Alice's Restaurant Venable Herndon, and Arthur Penn
Downhill Racer James Salter
Easy Rider Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern
Me, Natalie A. Martin Zwelback

1970s

YearFilmWriter(s)
1970
(23rd) [24]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
I Never Sang for My Father Robert Anderson
Airport George Seaton
Catch-22 Buck Henry
Little Big Man Calder Willingham
The Great White Hope Howard Sackler
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Patton Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North
Five Easy pieces Carole Eastman (As Adrien Joyce)
Love Story Erich segal
1971
(24th) [25]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
The French Connection Ernest Tidyman
A Clockwork Orange Stanley Kubrick
Johnny Got His Gun Dalton Trumbo
McCabe & Mrs. Miller Robert Altman, and Brian McKay
The Last Picture Show Larry McMurtry, and Peter Bodganovich
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Sunday Bloody Sunday Penelope Gilliatt
Klute Andy Lewis, and David E. Lewis
Summer of '42 Hernan Raucher
The Hellstrom Chronicle David Seltzer
1972
(25th) [26]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
The Godfather Mario Puzo, and Francis Ford Coppola
Deliverance James Dickley
Pete 'n' Tillie Julius J. Epstein
Slaughterhouse-Five Stephen Geller
Sounder Lonne Elder III
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
The Candidate Jeremy Larner
Bad Company David Newman, and Robert Benton
Images Robert Altman
The Culpepper Cattle Co. Eric Bercovici, and Gregory Prentiss
The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid Philip Kaufman
1973
(26th) [27]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
Serpico Waldo Salt, and Norman Wexler
Cinderella Liberty Darryl Ponicsan
The Exorcist William Peter Blatty
The Last Detail Robert Towne
The Paper Chase James Bridges
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Save the Tiger Steve Shagan
Mean Streets Martin Scorsese, and Mardik Martin
Payday Don Carpenter
The Sting David S. Ward
The Way We Were Arthur Laurents
1974
(27th) [28]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
The Godfather Part II Francis Ford Coppola, and Mario Puzo
Conrack Irving Ravetch, and Harriet Frank Jr.
Lenny Julian Barry
The Parallax View David Giler, and Lorenzo Sempler Jr.
The Talking of Pelham One Two Three Peter Stone
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Chinatown Robert Towne
A Woman Under the Influence John Cassavetes
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Robert Getchell
Harry and Tonto Paul Mazursky, and Josh Greenfeld
The Conversation Francis Ford Coppola
1975
(28th) [29]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Lawrence Hauben, and Bo Goldman
Barry Lyndon Stanley Kubrick
The Man Whou Would Be King John Huston, and Gladys Hill
Jaws Peter Benchley, and Carl Gottlieb
The Man in the Glass Booth Edward Anhalt
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Dog Day Afternoon Frank Pierson
French Connection II Alexander Jacobs, Robert Dillon, and Laurie Dillon
Nashville Joan Twekesbury
The Wind and the Lion John Milius
1976
(29th) [30]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
All the President's Men William Goldman
Bound for Glory Robert Getchell
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution Nicholas Meyer
Marathon Man William Goldman
The Shootist Miles Hood Swarthout, and Scott Hale
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Network Paddy Chayefsky
The Omen David Seltzer
Rocky Sylvester Stallone
Taxi Driver Paul Schrader
The Front Walter Bernstein
1977
(30th) [31]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
Julia Alvin Sargent
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden Gavin Lambert, and Lewis John Carlino
Islands in the Stream Denne Bart Petitclerc
Looking for Mr. Goodbar Richard Brooks
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
The Turning Point Arthur Laurents
Close Encounters of the Third Kind Steven Spielberg
Saturday Night Fever Norman Wexler
The Late Show Robert Benton
1978
(31st) [32]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
Midnight Express Oliver Stone
Bloodbrothers Walter Newman
Go Tell the Spartans Wendell Mayes
Invasion of the Body Snatchers W.D. Richter
Who'll Stop the Rain Judith Rascoe, and Robert Stone
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Coming Home Nancy Dowd, Robert C. Jones, and Waldo Salt
An Unmarried Woman Paul Mazursky
Days of Heaven Terrence Malick
Interiors Woody Allen
The Deer Hunter Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Louis Garfinkle, and Quinn K. Redeker
1979
(32nd) [33]
Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium
Kramer vs. Kramer Robert Benton
Norma Rae Irving Ravetch, and Harriet Frank Jr.
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
The China Syndrome Mike Gray, T. S. Cook, and James Bridges
Apocalypse Now John Milius, and Francis Ford Coppola

1980s

YearNomineesWriter(s)
1980
(33rd) [34]
Best Drama Adapted from Other Medium
Ordinary People Alvin Sargent
Coal Miner's Daughter Thomas Rickman
The Elephant Man Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren, and David Lynch
The Great Santini Lewis John Carlino
The Stunt Man Lawrence B. Marcus, Richard Rush
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Melvin and Howard Bo Goldman
Fame Christopher Gore
My Bodyguard Alan Ornsby
1981
(34th) [35]
Best Drama Adapted from Other Medium
On Golden Pond Ernest Thompson, and Donald E. Stewart
Cutler's Way Jeffrey Alan Fiskin
Prince of the City Jay Presson Allen, and Sidney Lumet
Ragtime Michael Weller
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Reds Warren Beatty and Trevor Griffiths
Absence of Malice Kurt Luedtke
Atlantic City John Guare
Body Heat Lawrence Kasdan
1982
(35th) [36]
Best Drama Adapted from Other Medium
Missing Costa-Gavras, and Donald E. Stewart
Sophie's Choice Alan J. Pakula
The Verdict David Mamet
The World According to Garp Steve Tesich
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Melissa Mathison
An Officer and a Gentleman Douglas Day Stewart
Shoot the Moon Bo Goldman
1983
(36th) [37]
Best Drama Adapted from Other Medium
Reuben, Reuben Julius J. Epstein
The Year of Living Dangerously David Williamson, Peter Weir, and C.J. Koch
The Right Stuff Philip Kaufman
Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen
Tender Mercies Horton Foote
Silkwood Nora Ephron, and Alice Arlen
WarGames Lawrence Lasker, and Walter F. Parkes

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