The world bids farewell to the iconic playwright Sir Tom Stoppard, who passed away at the age of 88. Known for his extraordinary contributions to theatre, Stoppard left an indelible mark with works such as the revolutionary “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” which first captivated audiences in 1966. According to a statement from United Agents, Stoppard died “peacefully” at his residence in Dorset, England.

The statement from United Agents highlighted the legacy he leaves behind: “He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language.” While the cause of death remains undisclosed, the impact of his life’s work is clear.

Born Tomáš Sträussler, Stoppard’s illustrious career also includes celebrated plays such as “Travesties” (1976), “The Real Thing” (1984), “The Coast of Utopia” (2007), and “Leopoldstadt” (2023), each honored with a Tony Award for Best Play. His remarkable body of work not only earned him critical acclaim but also cemented his reputation as one of the greatest playwrights of his time.

A cause of death was not disclosed.

Stoppard, born Tomáš Sträussler, is also known for “Travesties” (1976), “The Real Thing” (1984), “The Coast of Utopia” (2007) and “Leopoldstadt” (2023), all of which won Tony Awards for Best Play.

He additionally won an Academy Award for co-writing Gwyneth Paltrow’s 1999 hit film “Shakespeare In Love.”

Other screenwriting credits include “Empire of the Sun” (1987) and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989).

Stoppward was born in 1937 in what was then known as Czechoslovakia. He was less than two years old when he fled with his Jewish family shortly before the German occupation of that country.

Largely raised in England, he became a naturalized British citizen and dropped out of high school at age 17.

He subsequently worked as a journalist and produced plays for radio, television, and theatre, before “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1966.

The absurdist play, which focused on two minor characters from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” became a smash hit and moved to Broadway, where it ran between 1967 and 1968.

It turned Stoppard into an international sensation.

The play featured stylistic traits that would go on to become trademarks of a Stoppard play: complex wordplay, philosophical themes, and absurdist humor.

The term “Stoppardian” even entered the public lexicon, used to describe works that employed humor and wit while addressing deep philosophical concepts.

He became one of England’s most famous playwrights and was knighted for his services to literature by Queen Elizabeth in 1997.

Stoppard’s personal life was almost as action-packed as his professional one.

He was married three times: unions to Josie Ingle, a nurse, and Miriam Stern, a TV journalist, ended in divorce. He wed producer Sabrina Guinness in 2014.

Stoppard is survived by his four sons: Oliver, Barnaby, Will and Ed.

Ed Stoppard is a famed actor, best known for his role in Roman Polanski’s 2002 Oscar-winner, “The Pianist.”