Samuel Beckett was an Irish playwright, novelist, and poet who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969. He is best known for his plays 'Waiting for Godot' and 'Endgame', as well as his novel 'Molloy'. His works often explore themes of existentialism, alienation, and despair. He was also a recipient of the Obie Award for his play 'Krapp's Last Tape'. Beckett was born in Foxrock, EIRE (now Ireland) in 1906.