Pulitzer Prize Recipient Author. She was an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. Her first best-selling 1924 novel "So Big" received the 1925 Pulitzer Prize in Books, Drama, and Music in the category of novel. The novel was adapted in a silent film in 1924 and in a "talkie" in 1932 and again in 1953. Her 1926 novel "Show Boat" was adapted into a stage by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, first produced on stage in 1927 and filmed in 1936 and 1951. Her 1929 novel "Cimarron" was adapted into film in 1931 and again in 1960. The 1931 version earned the Academy Award for Best Picture and was the only Western film to receive the award until 1992. Her 1952 novel "Giant" was adapted into film in 1956, and for his role, James Dean received his second Academy Award. The National Library of Congress chose the film "Giant" as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Other novels include "Come and Get It" in 1935 , "Saratoga Trunk" in 1941, and "Ice Palace" in 1958, all of which became stage musicals or films between 1936 and 1960. In collaboration with George S. Kaufman, she co-wrote in 1924 to 1948 the stage plays "The Royal Family," "Dinner at Eight," "Stage Door," "The Land Is Bright" and "Bravo." Born into a family with East European Jewish heritage, her family moved from Chicago to Michigan where she was born; to Iowa, and then Wisconsin. She remembered from her childhood her family experiencing antisemitic abuse and this could be seen in her later writings. Briefly, she attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. She had a short journalism career, being a reporter for the "Appleton Daily Crescent" and the "Milwaukee Journal." In 1911 she published her first novel, "Dawn O'Hara: The Girl Who Laughed," and in 1912 she published a collection of short stories "Buttered Side Down." Returning to journalism, she coved the 120 Republican National Convention and the 1920 Democratic Convention for the United Press Association, before writing "So Big" in 1924. She wrote two autobiographies: "A Peculiar Treasure" in 1938 covered her childhood to "So Big" in 1924 and "A Kind of Magic" covered her career to 1963. She never married. She was a member of the Algonquin Round Table, which was a group of New York City writers. She died in her home in Manhattan and a plaque was erected to mark the building.

Pulitzer Prize Recipient Author. She was an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. Her first best-selling 1924 novel "So Big" received the 1925 Pulitzer Prize in Books, Drama, and Music in the category of novel. The novel was adapted in a silent film in 1924 and in a "talkie" in 1932 and again in 1953. Her 1926 novel "Show Boat" was adapted into a stage by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, first produced on stage in 1927 and filmed in 1936 and 1951. Her 1929 novel "Cimarron" was adapted into film in 1931 and again in 1960. The 1931 version earned the Academy Award for Best Picture and was the only Western film to receive the award until 1992. Her 1952 novel "Giant" was adapted into film in 1956, and for his role, James Dean received his second Academy Award. The National Library of Congress chose the film "Giant" as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Other novels include "Come and Get It" in 1935 , "Saratoga Trunk" in 1941, and "Ice Palace" in 1958, all of which became stage musicals or films between 1936 and 1960. In collaboration with George S. Kaufman, she co-wrote in 1924 to 1948 the stage plays "The Royal Family," "Dinner at Eight," "Stage Door," "The Land Is Bright" and "Bravo." Born into a family with East European Jewish heritage, her family moved from Chicago to Michigan where she was born; to Iowa, and then Wisconsin. She remembered from her childhood her family experiencing antisemitic abuse and this could be seen in her later writings. Briefly, she attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. She had a short journalism career, being a reporter for the "Appleton Daily Crescent" and the "Milwaukee Journal." In 1911 she published her first novel, "Dawn O'Hara: The Girl Who Laughed," and in 1912 she published a collection of short stories "Buttered Side Down." Returning to journalism, she coved the 120 Republican National Convention and the 1920 Democratic Convention for the United Press Association, before writing "So Big" in 1924. She wrote two autobiographies: "A Peculiar Treasure" in 1938 covered her childhood to "So Big" in 1924 and "A Kind of Magic" covered her career to 1963. She never married. She was a member of the Algonquin Round Table, which was a group of New York City writers. She died in her home in Manhattan and a plaque was erected to mark the building.

Bio by: Linda Davis