William Inge(1913-1973)

Writer
Actor
Producer

William (Motter) Inge brought small-town life in the American Midwest to Broadway with four successive dramatic triumphs: "Come Back Little Sheba" (1950), "Picnic" (1953; Pulitzer Prize), "Bus Stop" (1955) and "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (1957). With the exception of his Academy Award-winning screenplay for Splendor in the Grass (1961), his later plays and prose never achieved the success of his early work. Convinced he could no longer write, Inge fell into a paralyzing depression, which resulted in his suicide.

IMDbProStarmeter See rank

Won 1 Oscar
- 1 win total

Photos

Known for:

Splendor in the Grass

7.7

Writer

1961

Bus Stop

6.3

Writer

1956

Picnic

7.0

Writer

1955

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

7.2

Writer

1960

Credits

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IMDbPro

Writer

Picnic
- writer
- 2014
Esplendor en la hierba
- Writer
- Short
- 2014
Picnic
- play "Picnic"
- TV Movie
- 2000
Picnic
- play
- TV Movie
- 1986
Bus Stop
- play
- TV Movie
- 1982
Splendor in the Grass
- Writer (1961 screenplay)
- TV Movie
- 1981
Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff
- novel
- 1979
Come Back, Little Sheba
- play
- screenplay
- TV Movie
- 1977
Návrat do pekla
- play
- TV Movie
- 1974
Kom tilbake, lille Sheba
- based on play
- TV Movie
- 1966
Bus Riley's Back in Town
- based upon his one act play
- 1965
ITV Play of the Week
- play
- TV Series
- 1965
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
- writer
- TV Series
- 1964
Primera fila
- Writer
- TV Series
- 1964
The Stripper
- play "A Loss of Roses"
- 1963

Actor

Producer

Personal details

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Official site
- William Inge Theatre Festival
Born
- May 3, 1913
- Independence, Kansas, USA
Died
- June 10, 1973
- Los Angeles, California, USA(suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning)
Other works
Stage: Wrote "Picnic", produced on Broadway. Scenic Design / Lighting Design by Jo Mielziner. Directed by Joshua Logan. Music Box Theatre: 19 Feb 1953-10 Apr 1954 (477 performances). Cast: Ralph Meeker (as "Hal Carter"), Peggy Conklin (as "Flo Owens"), Eileen Heckart, Ruth McDevitt, Morris Miller, Paul Newman (as "Alan Seymour"; Broadway debut), Arthur O'Connell (as "Howard Bevans"), Janice Rule (as "Madge Owens"), Reta Shaw, Kim Stanley (as "Millie Owens"), Elizabeth Wilson. Replacement actors: Sandra Church, Dulcie Cooper (as "Irma Kronkite"), Betty Lou Holland (as "Millie Owens"), Eleanor Phelps. Produced by The Theatre Guild (Theresa Helburn, Lawrence Langner: Administrative Directors) and Joshua Logan. NOTE: Filmed as Picnic (1955), Picnic (2000), Picnic (1986).
Publicity listings
- 2 Print Biographies
- 4 Articles

Did you know

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Trivia
An annual festival, the William Inge Theatre Festival, is held each year in his hometown of Independence, KS. The Festival honors playwrights and brings national and international theatre artists to this small rural town each spring. America's finest playwrights have all made the pilgrimmage to the Festival. www.ingefestival.org