Inge, William
Biography
William Motter Inge (1913-1973) was born in Independence, Kansas. He studied speech and drama at the University of Kansas and graduated in 1935. He received his Master's degree from George Peabody College at Nashville, Tennessee in 1938. He worked as a teacher, laborer, and theater critic. He is best-known as a playwright and novelist. In his lifetime he earned both a Pulitzer Prize for Picnic and an Academy Award for the screenplay to the motion picture Splendor in the Grass. His later works did not achieve this same acclaim and this lack of notice is believed to have played a factor in his suicide in 1973 at the age of 60.
Found in 7 Records:
Correspondence with Mendy Weisgal
This collection includes letters from William Inge to Mendy Weisgal written between 1955 and 1967, as well as related newspaper clippings and correspondence. Weisgal, who also was known professionally as Michael Wager, was an actor and writer who was Inge's friend and collaborator.
Correspondence with R. Baird Shuman
R. Baird Shuman is an author and biographer who wrote a biography of William Inge, and corresponded with him throughout the 1960s. After Inge's suicide in 1973, Shuman corresponded with Inge's sister, Helene Inge Connell. The collection includes letters from Inge to Shuman, one letter from Shuman to Inge, and two letters from Inge's sister to Shuman.
Personal papers of Mary Davidson
This collection contains personal correspondence, ephemera, lesson plans, and essays from University of Kansas English instructor Mary Davidson.
Peter Stansky's William Inge collection
This collection of William Inge's papers contains the manuscripts for his later plays and novels written in the late 1960's and early 1970's prior to his death in 1973.
Theatre Guild Picnic production records
William Inge collection
This collection of William Inge's papers contains manuscripts for many of his plays, some correspondence and photographs of his sculpture work, and a number of articles written and/or published between 1950 and 1976.
William Inge photograph
This collection contains a photograph of a sculpture of William Inge holding his Academy Award ("Oscar").