Eleanore Griffin was a renowned American screenwriter who made a significant impact in the film industry. Born on April 29, 1904, in St. Paul, Minnesota, Griffin began her career in screenwriting at Universal in 1937. She quickly gained recognition for her work on comedies such as "When Love Is Young" and "Love in a Bungalow".
Griffin's most notable achievement was her Oscar-winning screenplay for the 1938 film "Boys Town", which was based on the true story of Father Edward Flanagan and his work with wayward boys. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning Griffin and co-writer Dore Schary the Academy Award for Best Original Story.
However, Griffin's career was marked by limited opportunities for women in the film industry during the 1930s to 1950s. The vertical integration of studios, which allowed for greater control over all aspects of production, made it difficult for women to break into the industry. Despite her early success, Griffin struggled to maintain her momentum, and her career was marked by periods of limited activity and a focus on rewriting and polishing scripts.
In the 1950s, Griffin experienced a resurgence in her career, writing screenplays for films such as "A Man Called Peter" and "Good Morning, Miss Dove". She also contributed to the remake of "Imitation of Life" in 1959 and adapted Fannie Hurst's novel "Back Street" into a film.
Griffin's final credited film was the 1964 adaptation of Norman Vincent Peale's autobiography "Minister To Millions". She passed away on July 25, 1995, at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering female screenwriter in Hollywood.
