Lillian Hellman - Playwright by Richard Moody copyright 1972 1st edition. This hardcover book with dustjacket is in very good condition - book has no torn or missing pages nor writing in the book - dustjacket is in very good condition with minor edge wear in protective cover
Playwright. Born in New Orleans to Max and Julia Hellman. Attended both
New York University and Columbia University. She began her literary
career reviewing books for the "New York Herald Tribune" and had some
short stories published. Married to playwright Arthur Kober (1925-1932).
In 1930 she moved to Hollywood where she reviewed movie scripts for
MGM. She also met author Dashiell Hammett and would have an intimate
relationship with him until his death. Hammett maintained Lillian was
the inspiration for Nora Charles, a character in his "Thin Man"
mysteries. Hellman's first success as a playwright came in 1934 with
"The Children's Hour," a story she said was "... not about lesbians" but
rather "... about the power of a lie." Family hatred and greed was the
subject of "The Little Foxes" (1939), and is one of Hellman's best-known
works. Both plays had successful runs on the stage and were later
adapted to the movie screen by MGM. "The Little Foxes" received nine
Academy Award nominations. After traveling in Spain during it's civil
war, Hellman wrote her antifascist play "Watch on the Rhine" (1941), for
which she received the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play
brought to the forefront her left-wing political leanings and though she
always maintained that she never joined the Communist Party, she was
involved from time to time in liberal and leftist organizations and
activities. In 1952, she was subpoenaed to appear before the House
Un-American Activities Committee where she was pressured to reveal names
of theatrical associates who might have Communist affiliations. She
responded to their demands by saying, "To hurt innocent people whom I
knew many years ago in order to save myself is, to me, inhuman and
indecent and dishonorable. I cannot and will not cut my conscience to
fit this year's fashions, even though I long ago came to the conclusion
that I was not a political person and could have no comfortable place in
any political group." Blacklisted for not cooperating with the
committee, and while Hammett served a six month prison sentence for his
refusal to cooperate, Hellman went to Europe with the help of friend
William Wyler. Even though she was blacklisted into the 1960s, Hellman
continued to work. During the 1950's she adapted the works of other
writers for the stage, and in 1960 she wrote "Toys in the Attic." She
taught creative writing classes and worked on her autobiographical
trilogy, "An Unfinished Woman" (1969), "Pentimento" (1973) and
"Scoundrel Time" (1976). Lillian received many honorary degrees from
various universities. She died of cardiac arrest at her home in Martha's
Vineyard.
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