Thornton Wilder

Career overview

Thornton Niven Wilder was an American playwright and novelist born in Madison, Wisconsin, on April 17, 1897. He was the second of five children born to Amos Parker Wilder, a newspaper editor and United States diplomat, and Isabella Niven Wilder. He spent part of his childhood living abroad with his father, who served as a Consul General in Hong Kong and Shanghai between 1906 and 19.

Throughout his literary career, Wilder achieved significant recognition for his writing. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, which included honors for the novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey as well as for the plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth. In addition to his Pulitzer Prizes, he received a United States National Book Award for his novel The Eighth Day.

Known credits for Wilder in the film and television industry include his work as a writer, with credits such as Shadow of a Doubt. His theatrical works also featured notable stage productions, including The Skin of Our Teeth, which featured scenic design by Eugene Lee, lighting design by Ken Billington, and a cast that included Elizabeth Ashley, Alfred Drake, and Martha Scott. Wilder passed away on December 7, 1975, at the age of seventy-eight in Hamden, Connecticut.