Lillian Hellman(1905 — 1984)
Lillian Hellman
États-Unis
1 min read
Performing ArtsLiteraturePoliticsDramaturge20th Century20th-century America, spanning the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War
American playwright and screenwriter (1905-1984), known for her politically committed plays against fascism and social injustice. A victim of McCarthyism, she refused to name her colleagues before the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Famous Quotes
« I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions. »
« Nothing less than what I believe to be the truth will satisfy me. »
Key Facts
- 1934: her debut play The Children's Hour is a success but gets banned in several cities for its treatment of homosexuality
- 1939: The Little Foxes triumphs on Broadway, exposing the greed of the Southern upper class
- 1952: summoned by the McCarthy committee (HUAC), she refuses to name her friends and is blacklisted
- 1969–1973: publication of her memoirs (An Unfinished Woman, Pentimento), bringing her belated literary recognition
- 1984: death at Martha's Vineyard, leaving behind a landmark body of work in committed American theater