Frances Goodrich | |
|---|---|
 Goodrich with her husband Albert Hackett | |
| Born | (1890-12-21)December 21, 1890 Belleville, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | January 29, 1984(1984-01-29) (aged 93) New York City, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Vassar College New York School of Social Work |
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
| Spouses | |
| Relatives | Henry Demarest Lloyd (uncle) |
Frances Goodrich (December 21, 1890 – January 29, 1984) was an American actress, dramatist, and screenwriter, best known for her collaborations with her partner and husbandAlbert Hackett.[1] She received thePulitzer Prize for Drama with her husband in 1956 forThe Diary of Anne Frank which had premiered the previous year.[2]
Goodrich was born in Belleville, New Jersey, the second daughter of five children,[3] of Madeleine Christy (née Lloyd) and Henry Wickes Goodrich. The family moved to nearby Nutley, New Jersey when Goodrich was two. She attendedCollegiate School in Passaic, New Jersey, and graduated fromVassar College in 1912, and attended theNew York School of Social Work from 1912 to 1913, but left to become an actress in Henry Miller's productions. In 1924 she appeared in George Kelly's play,The Show Off.[4]
Soon after she left the New York School of Social Work, Goodrich began the acting portion of her career at thePlayers Club in New York City. From there she went to Northampton, Massachusetts, where she acted in stock theater.[5] Her acting credits on Broadway includedPerkins (1918),Daddy Long Legs (1918),Fashions for Men (1922),Queen Victoria (1923),A Good Bad Woman (1925),Skin Deep (1927), andExcess Baggage (1927).[6]
For the summer of 1928, Goodrich joined the summer stock cast at Denver'sElitch Theatre.[7] Goodrich showed Hackett a script she had written, entitledSuch A Lady, and they rewrote it together. This was the beginning of their collaboration.[4]
Not long after marrying Hackett, the couple settled in Hollywood in the late 1920s to write the screenplay for their stage successUp Pops the Devil forParamount Pictures. In 1933, they signed a contract withMGM and remained with them until 1939. Among their early assignments was writing the screenplay forThe Thin Man (1934). They were encouraged by directorW.S. Van Dyke to use the writing ofDashiell Hammett as a basis only and to concentrate on providing witty exchanges for the principal characters,Nick and Nora Charles (played byWilliam Powell andMyrna Loy). The resulting film was one of the major hits of the year, and the script was considered to show a modern relationship in a realistic manner for the first time.[citation needed]
The couple receivedAcademy Award for Screenplay nominations forThe Thin Man,After the Thin Man (1936),Father of the Bride (1950) andSeven Brides for Seven Brothers (1955). They wonWriters Guild of America awards forEaster Parade (1949),Father's Little Dividend (1951),Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), andThe Diary of Anne Frank (1959), as well as nominations forIn the Good Old Summertime (1949),Father of the Bride (1950) andThe Long, Long Trailer (1954). They also won aPulitzer Prize for Drama for their playThe Diary of Anne Frank. Some of their other films include:Another Thin Man (1939) andIt's a Wonderful Life (1946).[citation needed]
Hackett and Goodrich met atElitch Theatre in 1928 when they were both in the summer stock cast.[7][4] Goodrich and Hackett remained married until her death.[8] Goodrich was Jewish.[9]
Muckraking writerHenry Demarest Lloyd was Goodrich's uncle.[5]
