12 Angry Men (play)

Infobox Play
name = 12 Angry Men


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writer = Reginald Rose
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date of premiere = September 20 1954
country of Origin = USA
original language = English
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ibdb_id = "12 Angry Men" is a play by Reginald Rose. It is about a jury member who persuades the other 11 members to change the verdict (guilty) they have given, on the basis of reasonable doubt.

The story begins after closing arguments have been presented in a homicide case, as the judge is giving his instructions to the jury. As in any American criminal case, the twelve men must unanimously decide on a verdict of 'guilty' or 'not guilty'. (In the American justice system, failure to reach a unanimous verdict, a so-called "hung jury", results in a mistrial.) The case at bar pertains to whether the young man murdered his own father. The jury is further instructed that a guilty verdict will be accompanied by a mandatory death sentence (something that could not happen in the current American legal system). These twelve then move to the jury room, where they begin to become acquainted with the personalities of their peers. Throughout their deliberation, not a single juror calls another by his name because the names are unknown by the jurors.

Performances and adaptations

Reginald Rose's screenplay for "12 Angry Men" was initially produced for television, and was broadcast on the CBS program "Studio One" in 1954. A complete kinescope of that performance, which had been missing for years and feared lost, was finally discovered in 2003.

The screenplay has been published, and Rose wrote several stage adaptations of the story. In 1964 Leo Genn appeared in the play on the London stage. In other theatrical adaptations in which female actors are cast the play is retitled "12 Angry Jurors" or "12 Angry Women".

In 1957, Sidney Lumet directed Henry Fonda and an all-star cast in a film adaptation which was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (it lost to "The Bridge on the River Kwai" in all cases).

"12 Angry Men" was remade for television in 1997.

In 2004, the Roundabout Theatre Company presented a Broadway production of the play, starring Boyd Gaines as a more combative Juror No. 8, with James Rebhorn (No. 4), Philip Bosco (No. 3), and Robert Prosky as the voice of the judge.

In 2007, "12 Angry Men" ran on a national tour with Richard Thomas and George Wendt starring as Jurors No. 8 and No. 1, respectively. It received positive reviews from critics. The 2008 tour does not include Wendt but features another popular TV personality, Kevin Dobson of "Kojak" and "Knots Landing" , as Juror No. 10.

In 2007, an adaptation by Academy award-winning Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov, entitled "12" was filmed.