Marshall Brickman, a renowned figure in the entertainment industry, passed away at the age of 85. His collaborations with Woody Allen on several of Allen's best movies have left an indelible mark. From Sleeper (1973) to Manhattan (1979), Brickman's contributions were crucial. The pair even won an Oscar for the original screenplay of Annie Hall, along with other prestigious awards.

The Collaborator Who Shaped Allen's Masterpieces

Early Life and Musical Roots

Marshall Brickman was born in Rio de Janeiro, where his father Abram, a refugee from Poland, and his New York-born mother Pauline (nee Wolin) were leftists. In 1943, they returned to America and settled in Flatbush. Here, Marshall was exposed to the Greenwich Village scene of politics and music, learning to play folk music on the banjo and guitar. After graduating from Brooklyn Tech, he went to the University of Wisconsin, intending to study medicine but ended up graduating in science and music, influenced by his roommate Eric Weissberg, a banjo virtuoso.The city of New York became a fertile ground for the arts in postwar America. Weissberg joined the Tarriers, an integrated quartet that had a big hit with Harry Belafonte's Banana Boat Song (Day-O). When Bob Carey left, Brickman replaced him. The Tarriers played at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village when Woody Allen, a budding standup, opened for them. This encounter set the stage for Brickman's future in comedy and writing.

Collaborations with Woody Allen

Brickman's collaborations with Woody Allen were truly remarkable. They worked together on three of Allen's best movies: Sleeper (1973), Annie Hall (1977), and Manhattan (1979). Although they never actually wrote scenes together, their sessions produced the script for Sleeper. Brickman's writing style was influenced by Allen's films, as he preferred New York to Hollywood. He once said, "Jokes are easy. Humour comes to me so easily I'm suspicious of it. I secrete jokes like the pancreas secretes … whatever it is the pancreas secretes."After Annie Hall, Brickman moved on to write and direct three films. In Simon (1980), a psychology professor was brainwashed into believing he came from outer space. Lovesick (1983) was his most Allen-like film, with Peter Sellers in the lead. After Sellers's death, Dudley Moore starred as the psychiatrist in love with a patient. In The Manhattan Project (1986), John Lithgow starred alongside actors who became TV stalwarts.

Later Career and Other Works

In the 90s, Brickman wrote two adapted screenplays for Mark Rydell. For The Boys (1991), he created a wartime variant of The Sunshine Boys. Intersection (1994) remade Claude Sautet's 1970 Les Chose de la Vie but didn't achieve the desired success. In 1993, he reunited with Allen to write Manhattan Murder Mystery.Brickman's final directing came in a 2001 TV movie version of Christopher Durang's play Sister Mary Explains It All. He then shifted gears and wrote the book for the musical Jersey Boys, which opened on Broadway in 2005 and ran for 12 years. He also wrote the screenplay for the 2012 film. His Tarriers career helped him understand the quartet's dynamics, and his musical ability enhanced his writing.Marshall Brickman is survived by his wife Nina and their two daughters, Sophie and Jessica. His contributions to the entertainment industry will be remembered for years to come.