Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Maxwell Anderson

Role / Field:

American playwright, author, and poet known for hit plays like What Price Glory.

Born:

1888-12-15

Died:

1959-02-28

Century / Era:

1888s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

James Maxwell Anderson (December 15, 1888 – February 28, 1959) was an American playwright, author, poet, journalist, and lyricist. He found success as a dramatist and wrote a number of hit plays, including What Price Glory, Both Your Houses, and The Bad Seed. Many of his works were adapted for the screen, and he wrote screenplays for other authors' works as well. Anderson was married three times and had a tumultuous personal life, dying in 1959 after suffering a stroke.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His papers and personal effects can be found in various institutions, with the largest collection housed at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Anderson was born on December 15, 1888, in Atlantic, Pennsylvania, the second of eight children to William Lincoln "Link" Anderson, a Baptist minister, and Charlotte Perrimela ('Premely') Stephenson, both of Scotch-Irish descent. His family initially lived on his maternal grandmother Sheperd's farm in Atlantic, then moved to Andover, Ohio, where his father became a railroad fireman while studying to become a minister. They moved often, to follow their father's ministerial posts, and Maxwell was frequently sick, missing a great deal of...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Amos Bronson Alcott — Contemporary (Died in 1888) (1888): Pioneering American educator, philosopher, and transcendentalist reformer.
• Andrei Tupolev — Contemporary (Born in 1888) (1888): Pioneering Soviet aerospace engineer, renowned for designing over 100 aircraft types.
• Anton Makarenko — Contemporary (Born in 1888) (1888): Influential Soviet educator, theorist, and social worker who pioneered child collective upbringing.
• Abraham Flexner — Contemporary (Died in 1959) (1959): Pioneering American educator known for reforming US and Canadian medical and higher education.
• Ahlam Mosteghanemi — Contemporary (Born in 1959) (1959): Pioneering Algerian poet and novelist, celebrated for her evocative Arabic literature.
• Albert Namatjira — Contemporary (Died in 1959) (1959): Pioneering Arrernte painter, famous for Western-influenced watercolour depictions of the Australian outback.
• Adam Brody — Shared historical date (12-15 · Born) (1979): American actor known for roles in The O.C., Shazam!, and StartUp.
• Akira Mutō — Shared historical date (12-15 · Born) (1892): Imperial Japanese Army General implicated in war crimes during WWII.
• 3rd Dalai Lama — Shared historical date (02-28 · Born) (1543): Founding figure of the Dalai Lama lineage, pivotal to Gelug school's rise in Tibet.
• Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i — Shared historical date (02-28 · Died) (911): Influential 10th-century Isma'ili missionary who aided the conquest of Ifriqiya.
• 1888 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1888
• December 15 (12-15) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 15
• 1959 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1959
• February 28 (02-28) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on February 28

Frequently Asked Questions about Maxwell Anderson