In brief
Philip G. Epstein (August 22, 1909 – February 7, 1952) was an American screenwriter best known for co-writing the screenplay for the film Casablanca (1942) alongside his identical twin brother Julius J. Epstein and Howard E. Koch, earning the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Born in Manhattan, New York, to Jewish parents—his father Henry owned a livery stable on Cherry Street—Epstein grew up in the city, attended local public schools, and graduated from Pennsylvania State College before pursuing writing in theater and film. With Julius, he formed one of Hollywood's notable brother screenwriting teams starting in the late 1930s, adapting stage plays such as The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) and The Male Animal (1942) for the screen, contributing sharp dialogue and comedic elements to Warner Bros. productions during the studio system's peak. Epstein's promising career, which included early work at the Cherry Lane Theatre and co-authoring the play And Stars Remain for the Theatre Guild, ended prematurely at age 42 due to health complications following a severe infection.
Philip G. Epstein was born on August 22, 1909, in Manhattan, New York City, as the identical twin of Julius J. Epstein. Their parents, Henry and Sarah Epstein, operated a livery stable in the city, reflecting the modest entrepreneurial efforts common among early 20th-century urban Jewish families.
The Epstein family resided on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, a densely populated immigrant neighborhood where households navigated economic constraints through resourcefulness and community ties. This working-class setting, marked by the persistence of horse-drawn transport amid encroaching modernization, instilled in the twins a pragmatic resilience shaped by daily familial and cultural demands, including the preservation of Jewish traditions amid urban assimilation pressures.
