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Born
Tennessee Williams was born on March 26, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi, USA. His father was a shoe salesman, and as a child, he was raised by his grandfather, who was a minister. His father was violent, and there were constant fights between his parents. -
Moved to St. Louis
When Williams was eight years old, his father's work moved them to St. Louis, Missouri, where he could not adjust to the new environment and spent his days alone with no friends. He later reflected on anguished feelings about this environment in his works. -
University of Missouri
Williams attended the University of Missouri in 1929. He was inspired to become a playwright by watching Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts. -
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The Great Depression
It was a time of great global recession, triggered by a significant drop in U.S. stock prices. -
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Arts and Entertainment in the 1930s and 1940s
Inexpensive entertainment was available in the 1930s and 1940s: big bands and swing music were popular in the 1930s, and band singers such as Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan became independent in the 1940s. Wartime songs were also popular. Government measures to support unemployed artists and performers during the Great Depression led to the production of plays and works of art for all to enjoy. -
Dropped the University of Missouri
His father dropped him out of the University and put him to work in a shoe factory in St. Louis. There he met a young man named Stanley Kowalski, who later reappears as a character in A Train Named Desire. -
Washington University
In 1936, Williams enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis but then dropped out again. -
Transferred to the University of Iowa
Williams transferred to the University of Iowa. This year, his older sister Rose was hospitalized for schizophrenia. When he learned that his sister Rose was forced to undergo a lobotomy at the discretion of their father, he began to harbor a lifelong grudge. -
"Candles to the Sun" and "The Fugitive Kind"
Mummers of St. Louis produced Williams's two plays, "Candles to the Sun" and "The Fugitive Kind." -
Graduated from the University of Iowa
Williams graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor of arts degree. After graduation, he lived a wandering life while continuing his writing career. -
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World War II
World War II involved the vast majority of the world's countries. -
"Battle of Angels"
His play "Battle of Angels" was produced in Boston and New York City. The film was later made into a movie, "The Fugitive," starring Marlon Brando and Anna Magnani. -
"The Glass Menagerie"
“The Glass Menagerie” opened on Broadway. -
Moved to New Orleans
moved to New Orleans in 1946, living with his lover Pancho Rodriguez. -
“A Streetcar Named Desire" and Pulitzer Prize
“A Streetcar Named Desire” opened on Broadway. The play earned Williams a Pulitzer Prize and turned him into a star of the theatre. -
"Summer and Smoke"
The play "Summer and Smoke" opened on Broadway. -
Moved to Key West
Williams first visited Key West in 1941 and moved to the island in 1949. In Key West, He not only wrote but also painted. We can see his nine works at the Jewish Museum come from the Key West Art & Historical Society. -
"The Rose Tattoo" and the Tony Award for Best Play
The Rose Tattoo opened on Broadway. Williams won the Tony Award for Best Play. -
"Camino Real"
Camino Real opened on Broadway. -
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The Civil Rights Movement
The civil rights movement was an organized effort by Black Americans to end racial discrimination and gain equal rights under the law. -
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Vietnam War
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“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and prizes
“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” opened on Broadway. Williams earned his second Pulitzer Prize and another Tony Award for Best Play. -
"Baby Doll"
Williams wrote the screenplay for "Baby Doll." Time magazine calls it "just possibly the dirtiest American-made motion picture that has ever been legally exhibited." -
"Orpheus Descending"
"Orpheus Descending" opened on Broadway, but it closed after only 68 performances. The production's poor reception led Williams into a depression. -
"Sweet Bird of Youth"
"Sweet Bird of Youth" opened on Broadway. -
"Period of Adjustment"
Period of Adjustment opened on Broadway. -
"The Night of the Iguana" and the Tony Award
"The Night of the Iguana" opened on Broadway. This play won the Tony Award for Best Actress. -
"The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore"
"The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore" opened on Broadway. -
Williams's Partner Frank Merlo Died
His longtime partner, Frank Merlo, died of lung cancer. Williams fell into a depression that lasted for years. -
"The Seven Descents of Myrtle"
"The Seven Descents of Myrtle" opened on Broadway. The Play closed after only 29 performances. -
Nervous Breakdown
Williams suffered a nervous breakdown. His brother Dakin kept him in a St. Louis mental hospital until December hospitalized. -
Stonewall Riots
The riots are widely considered the watershed event that transformed the gay liberation movement -
"Out City"
"Out Cry" opened on Broadway. The play closed after only 12 performances. -
Published "Memoirs"
He wrote in this book about addiction, family crisis, homosexuality, and came out as gay himself. -
"The Eccentricities of a Nightingale"
"The Eccentricities of a Nightingale" opened on Broadway. The play closed after only 24 performances. -
"Vieux Carré"
"Vieux Carré" opened on Broadway. The play closed after only 6 performances. -
"Clothes for a Summer Hotel"
"Clothes for a Summer Hotel" opened on Broadway. The play closed after only 14 performances. -
Died at Age 71
Williams was found dead at age in his New York City residence at the Hotel Elysée. According to official reports, he choked to death on a bottle cap. He was buried in St. Louis, Missouri.
