Origins & Early Life

James Rufus Agee ( AY-jee; November 27, 1909 – May 16, 1955) was an American novelist, journalist, poet, screenwriter and film critic. In the 1940s, writing for Time, he was one of the most influential film critics in the United States. His autobiographical novel, A Death in the Family (1957), won the author a posthumous 1958 Pulitzer Prize. Agee is also known as a co-writer of the book Let Us Now Praise Famous Men and as the screenwriter of the film classics The African Queen and The Night of the Hunter.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Agee was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Hugh James Agee (1878–1916) and Laura Whitman (née Tyler) Agee Wright (1885–1966), at Highland Avenue and 15th Street, which was renamed James Agee Street, in what is now the Fort Sanders neighborhood. When Agee was six, his father was killed in an automobile accident. From the age of seven, Agee and his younger sister, Emma, were educated in several boarding schools. The most prominent of these was near his mother's summer cottage two miles from Sewanee, Tennessee. Saint Andrews School for Mountain Boys was run by the monastic Order of the Holy Cross affiliated with the Episcopal Church.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

It was there that Agee...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Albert R. Broccoli — Contemporary (Born in 1909) (1909): Pioneering American film producer, best known for developing the James Bond franchise.
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• Burl Ives — Contemporary (Born in 1909) (1909): Iconic American folk singer, actor, and voice artist known for Christmas music.
• Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud — Contemporary (Born in 1955) (1955): Saudi billionaire, investor, and influential member of the House of Saud.
• Albert Einstein — Contemporary (Died in 1955) (1955): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for the theory of relativity and E=mc2.
• Alexander Fleming — Contemporary (Died in 1955) (1955): Pioneering microbiologist known for the discovery of penicillin, revolutionizing medicine.
• Ada Lovelace — Shared historical date (11-27 · Died) (1852): Pioneering mathematician recognized as the first computer programmer.
• Alexander Dubček — Shared historical date (11-27 · Born) (1921): Slovak statesman known for leading the Prague Spring and advocating 'Socialism with a human face'.
• Andy Kaufman — Shared historical date (05-16 · Died) (1984): Pioneering performance artist known for anti-comedy and character work.
• Bronisław Malinowski — Shared historical date (05-16 · Died) (1942): Pioneering anthropologist known for intensive fieldwork and functionalist theory.
• 1909 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1909
• November 27 (11-27) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 27
• 1955 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1955
• May 16 (05-16) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 16