Origins & Early Life

Robert Emmet Sherwood (April 4, 1896 – November 14, 1955) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He is the author of Waterloo Bridge, Idiot's Delight, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, There Shall Be No Night, and The Best Years of Our Lives. He was a screenwriter on the adapted films Rebecca and The Bishop's Wife. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1936, 1939, 1941), an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (1947) and a Pulitzer Prize for Biography (1949).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Born in 1896 in New Rochelle, New York, Robert was a son of Arthur Murray Sherwood, a rich stockbroker who co-founded The Harvard Lampoon while in college, and his wife, the former Rosina Emmet, a highly accomplished illustrator and portrait painter known as Rosina E. Sherwood. His paternal grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Wilson Sherwood, was an author and social leader. He was a great-great-grandson of the former New York State Attorney General Thomas Addis Emmet and a great-grandnephew of the Irish nationalist Robert Emmet, who was executed for high treason after leading the Irish rebellion of 1803, one of a series of attempts to dislodge British rule in Ireland, in 1803. His relatives also included...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada — Contemporary (Born in 1896) (1896): Pioneering global spread of Krishna consciousness teachings and the Hare Krishna mantra.
• Alfonso Caso — Contemporary (Born in 1896) (1896): Pioneering Mexican archaeologist renowned for pre-Columbian studies.
• Alfred Nobel — Contemporary (Died in 1896) (1896): Pioneering chemist, inventor of dynamite, and founder of the Nobel Prizes.
• Akira Toriyama — Contemporary (Born in 1955) (1955): Pioneering manga artist, creator of Dr. Slump and the global phenomenon, Dragon Ball.
• Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud — Contemporary (Born in 1955) (1955): Saudi billionaire, investor, and influential member of the House of Saud.
• Alain Prost — Contemporary (Born in 1955) (1955): Four-time Formula One World Champion, nicknamed 'The Professor'.
• Abdullah Öcalan — Shared historical date (04-04 · Born) (1948): Founder of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and advocate for Kurdish rights.
• Alfonso X of Castile — Shared historical date (04-04 · Died) (1284): King of Castile and León, known as 'the Wise' for his patronage of arts and sciences.
• Aaron Copland — Shared historical date (11-14 · Born) (1900): Pioneering American composer, conductor, and critic, known as the "Dean of American Music".
• Adam Gilchrist — Shared historical date (11-14 · Born) (1969): Legendary Australian cricketer, redefining the wicket-keeper-batsman role with aggressive flair.
• 1896 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1896
• April 4 (04-04) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 4
• 1955 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1955
• November 14 (11-14) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 14