Ruffini, Gene 1931-

PERSONAL:

Born January 15, 1931, in New York, NY; son of Joseph and Virginia Ruffini; married; wife's name Enid; children: Lynne, James, Claudia Ruffini Caminnoci. Ethnicity: "Italian-American."

Education: New York University, B.A., M.A. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Roman Catholic.

ADDRESSES:

Home and office—161 Sherman Ave., P.O. Box 482, Teaneck, NJ 07666. E-mail— [email protected].

CAREER:

Writer. Worked as reporter and editor for various newspapers, including New York Post; Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ, teacher of English and composition. Italian-American Repertory Theater, founder and artistic director. Also worked as actor in films and television programs, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, and biographer.

MEMBER:

Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Actors' Equity Association.

WRITINGS:

Harry Van Arsdale, Jr.: Labor's Champion, M.E. Sharpe (Armonk, NY), 2003.

Author of full-length plays, including And That's the Way It Is, Angelus, Boy Meets Girl (workshop production), Il Capo, The Choice, The End of Summer, Fire, Glory, Glory Hallelujah!, Holidays, Homeland Obsessions (workshop production), Prester John, Sunrise Valley, Town Meeting (workshop production), A True Story, Trumpets Sounding, all produced in New York, NY; one-act plays include Christmas, Columbus Day, The Day Paul Robeson Quit the Movies, Father's Day, A Grave Encounter, Hididdledee, Independence Day, Kismet and the Damsel, A Likely Story, Memorial Day, Mother's Day, Ralph Nader Is Not Sorry, Sic Gloria Tantric, St. Valentine's Day, Where the Tigris Meets the Euphrates, and White Hat. Unproduced full-length plays include "Black Dogs," "The Case on Its Merits," "A Certain Place," "The Dancers," "Fudge," "The Last Stand of Giuseppe Caprarola," "Liberty Rag," "The Money Tree," "New Dawn," "A Process of Elimination," "Road Signs," "Undercover, USA," and "Woden;" unproduced one-act plays include "Artist in Seven Scenes," "Dance," "Dancing in the Dock," "Final Performance," "Gaza," "The Gospel Truth," "Graduation Day," "A Hollywood Story," "Home Front," "Kabul," "Knock, Knock," "Louisa and Rus- sell," "The Making of an Actress," "The Masked Mystery Meatball King," "Newscast," "News Conference," "No Pun Intended," "Numero Uno," "Obsessions," "Out at Home," "The Peel Papers," "The Penitents," "The Pickle of King George," "Revenge of Kong," "Right-Left," "The Robeson Committee," "Salvatore," "The Sparta Gene," "Thanksgiving," "To Love and to Cherish," "W.A.C.," "War Is Sell," "War Story," and "What's a Mother For?"

Author of a novel, The Power Lovers; also editor and commentator for a collection of speeches of Samuel J. LeFrak. Screenplays include Ecstasy, Fury 2200, Gypsy Love, Living It Up, Love and Hate, Lovemobile, The Ninth Wonder, Patriot Nation, Pen Pals, Risk, Roxy Rules, Secrets, Sin, Sins of the Father, Summer's End, To Love and to Cherish, A True Story, Twisted Canvas: The Andy Warhol Story, Vengeance, and Who's Sorry Now? Contributor to magazines and newspapers.

SIDELIGHTS:

Gene Ruffini told CA: "In my plays, novels, and screenplays I always believe that I have people waiting. They do not come or resume their lives until I sit and strike the keys that enervate them." I always attempt to plan my day's work before I sit to write so that I can start without inordinate delay.

"Writing is something I enjoy immensely. I try to write each day and am greatly disturbed if circumstances prevent me from doing so. I believe I have something to say and must say it.

"My inspiration as a writer has been those authors who comment on social ills and injustices, and those who are champions of the common man, such as Ibsen, Shaw, Miller, Frank Norris, Steinbeck, et cetera."