Well-known Sydney playwright Alex Buzo has died after a long battle with cancer.
Buzo, who gained a formidable reputation with plays that took satirical swipes at Australian society, was 62.
His literary agent, Margaret Connolly, said the playwright died at his Sydney home shortly before 11am (AEST) Wednesday, with his family at his bedside.
He had been battling cancer for a number of years.
Alexander John Buzo was born in Sydney on July 23, 1944, and was educated at Armidale in NSW, Switzerland and Sydney's University of NSW, from which he graduated with a BA in 1965.
He became a noted playwright and author renowned for clever, satirical wit.
Among his 88 works were plays including Rooted, The Front Room Boys, Coralie Lansdowne Says No and Makassar Reef.
His books included Tautology, Real Men Don't Eat Quiche and A Dictionary Of The Almost Obvious, in which Buzo came up with definitions or explanations for everything from "dirge" to "politics".
Examples included "a bus", which he described as "a vehicle in Australia but a gap in New Zealand".
Politics was "the art of keeping parallel lines from meeting".
Buzo had his first play produced through a workshop in 1967.
The following year he came to national attention with Norm and Ahmed, primarily through a prosecution for obscenity.
His exploration of social alienation in that play was to remain a common theme in his works throughout his career.
Buzo leaves a wife, Merrilyn, and three daughters.
Funeral details are expected to be announced on Thursday.
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