A.R. Gurney was a prolific playwright and novelist best known for dissecting Anglo-Saxon society in plays like The Middle Ages, The Dining Room and The Cocktail Hour.
His works were often turned into telefilms, including Love Letters, starring Laura Linney and Steven Weber; The Dining Room, with William H. Macy; and My Brother’s Wife, starring John Ritter and Mel Harris.
Gurney also appeared as himself in the TV series documentaries Working in the Theatre, Literary Visions and The Legacy Project.
He wrote nearly 50 plays during his career, as well as three novels: The Gospel According to Joe, Entertaining Strangers and The Snow Ball.
Gurney died June 13, 2017, in New York City. He was 86.