Throughout his 30s, he wrote five novels – all of them failed. Yet, he did not let that deter him. It was not until 1856, at the age of 38, that his dramatic work made its professional debut. Even then, it took some time before his plays became popular. Although he wrote mostly comedies, Shaw greatly admired the natural realism of Henrik Ibsen. Shaw felt that plays could be used to influence the general population. And since he was filled with ideas, George Bernard Shaw spent the rest of his life writing for the stage, creating over sixty plays. He won a Nobel Prize for Literature for his play The Apple Cart. Also, his cinematic adaptation of Pygmalion earned him an Academy Award.