Zoe Akins

Zoe Akins

Deceased · Born: Oct 20, 1886 · Died: Oct 29, 1958

Personal Details

BornOct 20, 1886 Humansville, Missouri, USA

Biography

Zoë Akins was a renowned American playwright, poet, and author, born on October 30, 1886, and passed away on October 29, 1958. She was a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, recognized for her outstanding work in the field of drama.

In the early 1930s, Akins' career in film began to take off, as she wrote several screenplays and licensed minor adaptations of her work. One notable example is the film "The Greeks Had a Word for It", which was adapted twice, in 1932 and 1938, neither of which achieved significant commercial success.

Akins' work during this period includes the films "Sarah and Son" (1930) and "Morning Glory" (1933),both of which earned Academy Award nominations for their female leads, Ruth Chatterton and Katharine Hepburn, respectively. However, neither film was enough to launch Akins' career as a Hollywood screenwriter.

It wasn't until 1935 that Akins received recognition for her work, when she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her dramatization of Edith Wharton's "The Old Maid". The play was a melodrama set in New York City, spanning five episodes across time from 1839 to 1854. A film adaptation of "The Old Maid" followed in 1939, starring Bette Davis.

Akins also adapted the Alexandre Dumas novel "La dame aux camélias", which was adapted into the film "Camille" in 1936. The film starred Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, and Lionel Barrymore, and earned Garbo her third Oscar nomination.

In 1953, Akins' work was thrust back into the spotlight when Jean Negulesco directed an adaptation of "The Greeks Had a Word for It", titled "How to Marry a Millionaire". The film became a box office sensation and helped launch the career of its star, Marilyn Monroe. Monroe's role in the Akins' play helped establish her as a cultural icon, and encouraged Akins to pursue a short stint as a writer for several television variety programs.

Career

{"id":196261,"title":"The Sad Horse","year":"1959","job":"Story","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/the-sad-horse","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_196261.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_196261.jpg"},"released":1}
1959
{"id":69817,"title":"Desire Me","year":"1947","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/desire-me","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_69817.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_69817.jpg"},"released":1}
1947
Desire Me
Desire Me as Writer
{"id":72638,"title":"Zaza","year":"1938","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/zaza","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_72638.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_72638.jpg"},"released":1}
1938
Zaza
Zaza as Screenplay
{"id":72773,"title":"The Toy Wife","year":"1938","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/the-toy-wife","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_72773.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_72773.jpg"},"released":1}
The Toy Wife
The Toy Wife as Screenplay
{"id":72903,"title":"Conquest","year":"1937","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/conquest","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_72903.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_72903.jpg"},"released":1}
1937
Conquest
Conquest as Writer
{"id":32710,"title":"Camille","year":"1936","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/camille-1936","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/images\/fanart\/movies\/poster\/1uesov5106t0.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/images\/fanart\/movies\/poster\/1uesov5106t0.jpg"},"released":1}
1936
Camille
Camille as Screenplay
{"id":73515,"title":"Accused","year":"1936","job":"Screenplay, Story","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/accused","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_73515.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_73515.jpg"},"released":1}
Accused
Accused as Screenplay, Story
{"id":74138,"title":"Christopher Strong","year":"1933","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/christopher-strong","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_74138.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_74138.jpg"},"released":1}
1933
{"id":75320,"title":"Girls About Town","year":"1931","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/girls-about-town","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_75320.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_75320.jpg"},"released":1}
1931
{"id":75747,"title":"The Right to Love","year":"1930","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/the-right-to-love","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_75747.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_75747.jpg"},"released":1}
1930
{"id":95500,"title":"Sarah and Son","year":"1930","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streamtheatre.com\/us\/movie\/sarah-and-son","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_95500.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streamtheatre.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_95500.jpg"},"released":1}
Sarah and Son
Sarah and Son as Screenplay