Stephen Morehouse Avery, a celebrated American screenwriter of Hollywood fame, embarked on a storied career that spanned numerous decades. Born on December 20, 1893, in the picturesque suburb of Webster Groves, nestled within the boundaries of St. Louis, Missouri, Avery was the offspring of Charles M. and Jesse Avery.
His father, a dedicated cashier at an insurance company, instilled in Avery a strong emphasis on education from a young age. As a result, Avery's early life was characterized by a robust foundation in learning, which he further nurtured by attending the prestigious University of Missouri at Columbia.
Avery's professional journey in writing began in Detroit, Michigan, where he initially worked before transitioning to a career in writing for national publications. This pursuit continued until 1933, when he made the decision to focus exclusively on screenplays.
Notable among his numerous accomplishments is the prestigious recognition he received in the form of an Academy Award nomination for Best Story in the year 1935, specifically for his work on the film "The Gay Deception", a cinematic masterpiece directed by the renowned William Wyler.
The narrative of this film revolves around the captivating character of Mirabel, a woman who, through a stroke of serendipity, wins a substantial sum of $5,000 in a lottery, thereby affording her the opportunity to relocate to the bustling metropolis of New York City.
Upon settling into her new surroundings, Mirabel's life takes an unexpected turn as she encounters Sandro, a humble bellboy with a secret of royal proportions - he is, in fact, a prince.
Avery, a prominent individual, was united in matrimony with Marian Baldwin, and their union bore fruit in the form of a single offspring, Phyllis Avery, who entered the world in the year 1924. This young individual would go on to pursue a career in the realm of acting, marking the beginning of her professional journey in the year 1951. Throughout her tenure in the entertainment industry, Phyllis had the privilege of sharing the screen with numerous notable stars, including the esteemed Charlton Heston, the charismatic George Gobel, the talented Richard Egan, the rugged Chuck Connors, the accomplished Lew Ayres, and the distinguished Ray Milland.
Avery's life was tragically cut short when he succumbed to a heart attack on February 10, 1948, at the premature age of fifty-four, while residing in his Los Angeles, California apartment.
