Loman, Willy (Fictitious character)

William "Willy" Loman is a fictional character and the protagonist of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, which debuted on Broadway with Lee J. Cobb playing Loman at the Morosco Theatre on February 10, 1949. Loman is a 63-year-old travelling salesman from Brooklyn with 34 years of experience with the same company who endures a pay cut and a firing during the play. He has difficulty dealing with his current state and has created a fantasy world to cope with his situation. This does not keep him from multiple suicide attempts. He is the central character in a play that has won the Tony Award for Best Broadway Production four times. People playing the role have earned many significant accolades for acting including Golden Globe Award, Olivier Award, Tony Award, Primetime Emmy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Drama Desk Awards and many award nominations.