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Born David Alan Mamet in the Chicago area, son of Bernard Morris Mamet (attorney) and Lenore June (teacher) who were all Jewish -
Raised in the tough but vibrant neighborhoods of Chicago, Mamet lived a difficult childhood once stating, "My childhood, like many people's, was not a bundle of laughs." Although he didn't live the happiest childhood, his experiences inspired many of his future characters
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Mamet was forced to move due to his parents getting divorced at the age of 11. He moved with his mother and sister to the Chicago suburb of Olympia Fields. -
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Mamet graduated from Goddard College in Vermont with a B.A. in Literature. This is where he got his inspiration to begin writing short plays and experimenting with dialogue, learning how to capture the raw rhythms of everyday speech that defined his style -
Taking off his junior to study acting and theatre at the Neighborhood Playhouse School in New York City with the renowned Sanford Meisner. Exposure to Meisner technique and stage realism deepened his understanding of how actors bring text to life, an influence he carried