AncientFaces Your browser does not support JavaScript!
Please enable JavaScript to view the entire contents of this page.

William Wolf 1925 - 2020

William Wolf of New York, New York United States was born in December 1925, and died at age 94 years old on March 27, 2020 at New York, NY.

William Wolf

New York, New York United States

December 1925

March 27, 2020

New York, NY

Male

Looking for another William Wolf?

William Wolf William Wolf (1925 - 2020)

ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM

This page exists for YOU
and everyone who remembers William.

Share what you know,
even ask what you wish you knew.

Invite others to do the same,
but don't worry if you can't...

Someone, somewhere will find this page,
and we'll notify you when they do.

William Wolf's History: 1925 - 2020

Uncover new discoveries and connections today by sharing about people & moments from yesterday.

- Discover how AncientFaces works.

Introduction

William Wolf, a noted arts critic and 22nd president of the Drama Desk, died Saturday, March 28, 2020 from coronavirus complications. Wolf was part of a golden age in magazine journalism in New York City. From 1964-80, he was the film critic for Cue Magazine, and later became a contributing editor and critic at New York Magazine after it merged with Cue. For four years, 1984-88, he served as the syndicated film critic and columnist for the Gannett newspaper chain. He is the author of several books, including The Marx Brothers and Landmark Films: The Cinema and Our Century, written with his wife, Lillian Kramer Wolf. He taught film classes in multiple departments at New York University for decades, and his interviews with actors, directors, producers, ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Ingmar Bergman, are housed in the William Wolf Film and Theater Interview Collection at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Wolf served as president of the Drama Desk for four years and previously served for two years on its nominating committee. He is survived by his wife, Lillian.
12/dd

1925

Birthday

December 1925

Birthdate

Unknown

Birthplace

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Early Life & Education

William Wolf, a noted arts critic and 22nd president of the Drama Desk, died Saturday, March 28, from coronavirus complications. Wolf was part of a golden age in magazine journalism in New York City. From 1964-80, he was the film critic for Cue Magazine, and later became a contributing editor and critic at New York Magazine after it merged with Cue. For four years, 1984-88, he served as the syndicated film critic and columnist for the Gannett newspaper chain. He is the author of several books, including The Marx Brothers and Landmark Films: The Cinema and Our Century, written with his wife, Lillian Kramer Wolf. He taught film classes in multiple departments at New York University for decades, and his interviews with actors, directors, producers, ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Ingmar Bergman, are housed in the William Wolf Film and Theater Interview Collection at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Wolf served as president of the Drama Desk for four years and previously served for two years on its nominating committee. He is survived by his wife, Lillian.
Professional Career

William Wolf (1925 – March 28, 2020) was an American film and theater critic, and the author of several books. He was a film critic for Cue and New York magazines in the 1960s-1980s. Later, he was the president of the Drama Desk and the chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle. Wolf served two years as Chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle and was a member of the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Online, the Online Film Critics Society, PEN, the American Theatre Critics Association, the International Association of Theatre Critics, and the American Association of University Professors. He served for four years as President of the Drama Desk, an organization of critics and writers on the theater, and previously served for two years on its nominating committee for the Drama Desk Awards and was on the Drama Desk Executive Board. At New York University, he was an Adjunct Professor and taught Film as Literature in the English Department and Cinema and Literature in the French Department. Professor Wolf was particularly known for his Movie Preview course, now presented independently at Lincoln Center in the Elinor Bunin Munroe Center. During the course of his career, Wolf interviewed hundreds of film and theater notables and has covered the world’s major film festivals. Among those he interviewed were Ingmar Bergman and Charlie Chaplin. Audio tapes of his interviews with directors, actors, producers, and others in the world of cinema and the stage constitute the William Wolf Film and Theater Interview Collection (1972-1998), part of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound, that he donated to the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts. Wolf was the author of Landmark Films: The Cinema and Our Century, which he wrote in collaboration with his wife, Lillian Kramer Wolf, and of The Marx Brothers. He has contributed chapters on “Easy Rider” and “Duck Soup” to “The A List: 100 Essential Films” a collection of reviews by members of the National Society of Film Critics, and “The Eroticism of Words” and “Kinsey” chapters in the National Society’s sequel, “The X List.” He died on March 28, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic due to complications brought on by COVID-19.
Personal Life & Family

WOLF--William. Beloved husband and father William Wolf died on March 28, 2020 in Manhattan, NY of Covid-19. He was 94 years old. He was a New York film and theater critic, author and professor. A graduate of Rutgers University, he wrote for Cue Magazine, New York Magazine, the Gannett newspapers and The New York Observer. In 1998, he founded his website, Wolf Entertainment Guide, for which he wrote on film, theater, cabaret and cultural activities until a few days before his death. A member of various critics associations, he was a former president of the Drama Desk and chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle. He taught film as literature courses at New York University and a movie preview course at Lincoln Center. Tapes of his interviews with such cinema notables as Charlie Chaplin, Ingmar Bergman, Woody Allen and many more are at the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts. He wrote Landmark Films: The Cinema and Our Century with his wife, Lillian Kramer Wolf, and The Marx Brothers. In the 1950s, he was public relations director for the committee that tried to stop the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Known for his great humor and zest for life, he was an adoring husband to Lillian and a loving father to Julie and Karen, who survive him, together with five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A memorial celebration will take place when possible. Donations in his name to the ACLU; New York Public Radio WNYC.
03/27

2020

Death

March 27, 2020

Death date

Covid-19.

Cause of death

New York, NY
Death location

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Obituary

William Wolf (critic) Born 1925 Died March 28, 2020 (aged 94) Occupation Critic, author William Wolf (1925 – March 28, 2020) was an American film and theater critic, and the author of several books. He was a film critic for Cue and New York magazines in the 1960s-1980s. Wolf served two years as Chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle and was a member of the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Online, the Online Film Critics Society, PEN, the American Theatre Critics Association, the International Association of Theatre Critics, and the American Association of University Professors. He served for four years as President of the Drama Desk, an organization of critics and writers on the theater, and previously served for two years on its nominating committee for the Drama Desk Awards and was on the Drama Desk Executive Board. At New York University, he was an Adjunct Professor and taught Film as Literature in the English Department and Cinema and Literature in the French Department. Professor Wolf was particularly known for his Movie Preview course, now presented independently at Lincoln Center in the Elinor Bunin Munroe Center. During the course of his career, Wolf interviewed hundreds of film and theater notables and has covered the world's major film festivals. Among those he interviewed were Ingmar Bergman and Charlie Chaplin. Audiotapes of his interviews with directors, actors, producers, and others in the world of cinema and the stage constitute the William Wolf Film and Theater Interview Collection (1972-1998), part of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound, that he donated to the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts. Wolf was the author of Landmark Films: The Cinema and Our Century, which he wrote in collaboration with his wife, Lillian Kramer Wolf, and of The Marx Brothers. He has contributed chapters on "Easy Rider" and "Duck Soup" to "The A List: 100 Essential Films" a collection of reviews by members of the National Society of Film Critics, and "The Eroticism of Words" and "Kinsey" chapters in the National Society's sequel, "The X List." He died on March 28, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state) due to complications brought on by COVID-19.

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below

Join 2 others
who remember William

Select options below to share special moments.

Ethnicity & Family History Nationality & Locations Baptism Religious Beliefs Military Service Gravesite & Burial Add Memory Add Photo Ask others to share

Share what you remember.
Ask what you wish to know.
Connect to discover more.
Advertisement
Did you know?

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below

12 Memories, Stories & Photos about William

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

05/27/2021

Lillian Kramer and William Wolf.

Two lovebirds.

WILLIAM WOLF Obituary
WOLF--William. Snatched from us by Covid-19 one year ago (March 28, 2020). His loss is devastating to his heartbroken widow, Lillian, and he leaves a huge gap in the lives of his adored and adoring daughters, Julie and Karen; his sons-in-law, Stephen and Konstantinos; grandchildren, Michael, Claire, Alexandra, Daphne and Irini; granddaughter-in- law Carinne; and great- grandchildren Margaux and Julien. He was an accomplished professor, film and theater critic, author and lecturer but, above all, he was a wonderful human being -- a mensch.
Published by New York Times on Mar. 28, 2021.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments