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Information About

Robert E. Sherwood




Born in New Rochelle, New York and educated at Harvard University , Sherwood fought with the Canadian Black Watch in Europe during World War I and was wounded. After his return to the U.S., he began working as a Movie Critic for such Magazines as '' Life '' and '' Vanity Fair ''.

Sherwood was one of the original members of the Algonquin Round Table . He was close friends with Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley , who were on the staff of Vanity Fair with Sherwood when the Round Table began meeting in 1919. Author Edna Ferber was also a good friend.

His first play, '' The Road To Rome '' in 1927 was greeted with success. The play is a Comedy concerning Hannibal's botched Invasion of Rome . One of the underlying Themes of this work is the stupidity of war. This is a recurrent Motif in many of his dramatic works including his '' Idiot's Delight '' of 1936 which won the first of his four Pulitzer Prizes .

In addition to his work for the stage, Sherwood also was in demand in Hollywood . He began writing for the Silver Screen in 1926 . While some of his work is uncredited, his films include many Adaptations of his plays.

With Europe in the midst of World War II , Sherwood changed his anti-war stance and supported American involvement against the Third Reich . His 1940 play, '' There Shall Be No Night '' told the story of the Russian invasion of Finland . His Patriotism led him to work as a Speechwriter for President Franklin D. Roosevelt . He recounted this period with his book '' Roosevelt And Hopkins '' which won a Pulitzer Prize and a Bancroft Prize in 1949 .

He returned to playwrighting after the war and produced his memorable script for the film '' The Best Years Of Our Lives '' which was directed by William Wyler . The 1946 film explores how the lives of three Servicemen have been changed after they return home from war.

Sherwood died of a Heart Attack in New York City in 1955.


PLAYS

  • ''The Road to Rome'' (1927) - adapted into the 1927 film ''The Private Life of Helen of Troy''

  • ''The Love Nest'' (1927)

  • ''The Queen's Husband'' ( 1928 ) - adapted into the 1931 film ''The Royal Bed''.

  • '' Waterloo Bridge '' ( 1930 ) - adapted into a 1931 film.

  • ''This is New York'' (1930) - adapted into the 1932 film ''Two Kinds of Women''.

  • ''Reunion in Vienna'' (1931) - adapted into a 1933 film.

  • ''Acropolis'' ( 1933 )

  • '' The Petrified Forest '' ( 1935 ) - adapted into 1936 film with Leslie Howard and Bette Davis .

  • ''Tovarich'' (1935) - adapted into a 1937 film.

  • ''Idiot's Delight'' (1936) Pulitzer Prize for Drama - adapted into 1939 film

  • '' Abe Lincoln In Illinois '' ( 1938 ) Pulitzer Prize for Drama - adapted into 1940 film. See '' Abe Lincoln In Illinois (movie) ''.

  • ''There Shall Be No Night'' (1940) Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

  • ''The Rugged Path'' ( 1945 )

  • "Small War on Murray Hill"



NONFICTION



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