13 Facts About Willy Loman

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.

Willy Loman has difficulty dealing with his current state and has created a fantasy world to cope with his situation.

Willy Loman is an aging Brooklyn, New York salesman whose less than spectacular career is on the decline.

Willy Loman has lost the youthful verve of his past and his camaraderie has faded away.

The play begins with the 63-year-old Willy Loman dealing with a recent pay cut after 34 years on the job at a time when he is having difficulty meeting his financial responsibilities.

Willy Loman is fired by the son of the man who had hired him 36 years prior.

Willy Loman had succeeded in large part due to his ability to ingratiate himself with his bosses and appeal to his potential clients; thus, he continually impresses upon his sons the importance of popularity.

I'm very foolish to look at," and a reference to Willy Loman being called a "shrimp" was changed to a "walrus.

Willy Loman never matures enough to realize that being popular without any substance or skill is meaningless in the end, and Miller uses Willy Loman to make a point against anti-intellectualism.

Willy Loman has always made the point to his sons that being popular and having contacts is the key to success.

Besides interacting with his wife and his sons, Willy Loman spends much time during the play in fantasy conversations with his long-dead brother Ben, whom Willy Loman still idolizes, calling on him for guidance, for instance, when he is fired from his job.

Willy Loman is the central role of the only play that has won a Tony Award for Best Broadway Production four times.

Willy Loman noted that the play resonated with him because his father was a travelling salesman and he had an older brother.