Marc Connelly, a renowned playwright, was a prominent figure in the Algonquin Round Table and a long-time collaborator with George S. Kaufman. He wrote many plays, including Merton of the Movies, and his Broadway career spanned an impressive 65 years.
Born on December 13, 1890, in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Connelly was the son of actors Patrick Joseph Connelly and Mabel Louise Cook, who also ran a hotel. He began writing plays at a young age and moved to New York City to pursue his career.
Connelly's early work included writing the book for the 1916 musical-comedy "The Amber Empress" and providing lyrics for the 1918 musical "The Maid of the Mountains". He became a member of the Algonquin Round Table in the 1920s and collaborated with Kaufman on numerous plays, including the successful comedy "Dulcy" and the hit musical "Merton of the Movies".
The 1920s were a productive decade for Connelly, with hits like "Helen of Troy, New York" and "Beggar on Horseback", as well as flops like "The Deep Tangled Wildwood". His partnership with Kaufman eventually ended, and Connelly went on to write several successful plays, including "The Wisdom Tooth" and "The Green Pastures", which won him the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Connelly continued to write and produce plays throughout his career, including "The Farmer Takes a Wife" and "Having Wonderful Time". He also acted on Broadway and in film and television, and co-directed the 1936 cinema adaptation of "The Green Pastures".
In addition to his work in the entertainment industry, Connelly wrote a memoir, "Voices Offstage", which was published in 1968. He died on December 21, 1980, at the age of 90, just eight days before his last play, "The Stitch in Time", went into previews.
