Class of 1953: Murray Schisgal

Murray Schisgal ’53 (1926–2020)
Schisgal, who graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1953 on the G.I. Bill after Navy service in World War II, built an acclaimed career as a playwright and screenwriter. He practiced law briefly, then taught high school English in Harlem before turning fully to writing. Schisgal went on to co-write Tootsie (1982) with Larry Gelbart, receiving multiple screenwriting awards for what became one of the decade’s most celebrated comedies. He later wrote for television, produced films, and published a novel, sustaining a prolific artistic life for more than five decades.