Samuel Beckett, 1906-1989, was one of the twentieth century's most influential writers, known especially for his play Waiting for Godot. He was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1906 and later studied English, French, and Italian at Trinity College. In 1928 he moved to Paris, where he met author James Joyce. During World War II, Beckett worked with the French Resistance, and after the war he settled in Paris to begin his writing career. Waiting for Godot was first performed in Paris in 1953. It is considered to be a foundational work in the "Theatre of the Absurd," a collection of dramatic works that explore existential themes and experimental techniques. Beckett wrote most of his works in French and later translated them into English. His other notable plays include Endgame (1957), Krapp's Last Tape (1958), Happy Days (1961), and Play (1962). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969, and he died on December 22, 1989. He is buried with his wife Suzanne Dechevaux-Dumesnil in the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris.

Colin Duckworth, 1926-2012, was Professor of French at the University of Melbourne, Australia, having previously taught at the University of London and the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He was born on July 20, 1926 in Birmingham, England. After serving in the Royal Air Force from 1944 to 1948, he studied French and Spanish at Birmingham University. He completed his doctoral work at Cambridge University while also participating in the Cambridge theater community. He specialized in the works of Voltaire and Samuel Beckett, and he was known for adapting and directing theatrical productions of French literary works for Australian audiences. Duckworth also wrote several books, essays, and articles, and acted in many television, film, and stage productions throughout his life. He retired from teaching in 1988 and died on December 6, 2012.