Zoë Akins (30 October 1886 – 29 October 1958) was an American playwright, poet, and author.
Born in Humansville, Missouri, Akins was educated in Illinois and later in St. Louis, where she began her writing career. While living in the city, she wrote poetry and criticism for various magazines and newspapers.
Her first major dramatic work was Papa, written in 1914. The comedy ultimately failed when produced, but she continued to write. She followed...
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Zoë Akins (30 October 1886 – 29 October 1958) was an American playwright, poet, and author.
Born in Humansville, Missouri, Akins was educated in Illinois and later in St. Louis, where she began her writing career. While living in the city, she wrote poetry and criticism for various magazines and newspapers.
Her first major dramatic work was Papa, written in 1914. The comedy ultimately failed when produced, but she continued to write. She followed early failure with The Magical City and Declassée, two plays that were moderately successful. (Ethel Barrymore starred in Declassée.) Akins endured a dry spell throughout the 1920s.
During this time several of her early plays were adapted for the screen. These adaptations were mostly failures, released as silent films in a time when the industry was transitioning to sound. While some "talkie" stars had notable roles in the films (Walter Pidgeon and a young Clark Gable), most of the films are now believed to be lost. Eventually, Akins found a...
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