Eugene O'Neill Headshot

Eugene O'Neill

Date of Death: November 27, 1953 (65)

Birth Place: New York, NY, USA

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Eugene O'Neill BIO

Eugene O'Neill was an American playwright who is widely considered to be one of the greatest dramatists in American history. Born in 1888 in New York City, O'Neill grew up in a family of actors and spent much of his childhood on the road with his father's theater company. Despite this early exposure to the world of theater, O'Neill initially pursued a career as a sailor and spent several years at sea before returning to the stage.


O'Neill's early plays were heavily influenced by the naturalistic style of European playwrights such as Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg. His first major success came with the production of "Beyond the Horizon" in 1920, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Over the next two decades, O'Neill continued to write groundbreaking plays that explored themes of addiction, family dysfunction, and the search for meaning in a world that often seemed cruel and indifferent.
Some of O'Neill's most famous works include "The Iceman Cometh," "Long Day's Journey Into Night," and "A Moon for the Misbegotten." These plays are notable for their complex characters, poetic language, and unflinching examination of the human condition. O'Neill's work was also notable for its willingness to tackle taboo subjects such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental illness.
In addition to his work as a playwright, O'Neill was also a prolific writer of prose. His autobiographical works, including "Long Day's Journey Into Night" and "A Moon for the Misbegotten," are widely regarded as some of the finest examples of American literature.
Despite his success as a playwright, O'Neill's personal life was marked by tragedy. He struggled with alcoholism and depression throughout his life, and several of his family members suffered from mental illness. O'Neill's second wife, Agnes Boulton, was also a writer, but their marriage was fraught with conflict and ended in divorce.
O'Neill's health began to decline in the 1940s, and he was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder that made it difficult for him to write. He continued to work, however, and in 1956 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his contributions to the theater.
Eugene O'Neill died in 1953 at the age of 65. His legacy as one of America's greatest playwrights endures, and his work continues to be produced and studied around the world. In recent years, several of his plays have been adapted for film and television, including a 2016 production of "Long Day's Journey Into Night" starring Jessica Lange and Gabriel Byrne.

Eugene O'Neill Photos

Eugene O'Neill Productions

Long Day’s Journey Into NightLong Day’s Journey Into Night
 
[West End, 2024]
Writer
The Great God Brown
 
[Broadway, 1926]
Producer
The Fountain
 
[Broadway, 1925]
Producer
Love for Love
 
[Broadway, 1925]
Producer
Outside Looking In
 
[Broadway, 1925]
Producer
All God's Chillun Got Wings
 
[Broadway, 1924]
Director
Welded
 
[Broadway, 1924]
Producer
The Spook Sonata
 
[Broadway, ]
Producer

Writing

Diff'rent
Playwright
S. S. Glencairn
Playwright
Marco Millions
Playwright
Welded
Playwright
In The Zone
Playwright
Ile
Playwright
Gold
Playwright
Dynamo
Playwright
The Dreamy Kid
Playwright
Diff'rent
Playwright
The Hairy Ape
Playwright
The First Man
Playwright
The Straw
Playwright
The Fountain
Playwright
Hughie
Playwright
The Hairy Ape
Playwright
The Hairy Ape
Playwright
Anna Christie
Playwright
Ah, Wilderness!
Playwright
Anna Christie
Source Material
New Girl in Town
Source Material
Take Me Along
Source Material

Eugene O'Neill Awards and Nominations

Drama League Awards - 2016 - Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play

Eugene O'Neill, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Drama League Awards - 2015 - Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play

Eugene O'Neill, The Iceman Cometh


winner
Olivier Awards - 2004 - Best Revival

Eugene O'NeillMourning Becomes Electra


winner
Drama Desk Awards - 2000 - Outstanding Revival - Play

Eugene O'Neill, A Moon for the Misbegotten

Tony Awards - 1959 - Best Play

Eugene O'Neill, A Touch of the Poet


winner
New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1957 - Best American Play

Eugene O'Neill, Long Day's Journey into Night


winner
The Pulitzer Prize - 1957 - The Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Eugene O'Neill, Long Day's Journey Into Night


winner
Tony Awards - 1957 - Best Play

Eugene O'Neill, Long Day's Journey Into Night

New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 1947 - Best American Play

Eugene O'Neill, The Iceman Cometh


winner
The Pulitzer Prize - 1928 - The Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Eugene O'Neill, Strange Interlude


winner
The Pulitzer Prize - 1922 - The Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Eugene O'Neill, Anna Christie


winner
The Pulitzer Prize - 1920 - The Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Eugene O'Neill, Beyond the Horizon

Eugene O'Neill Videos

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Eugene O'Neill FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many shows has Eugene O'Neill written?

Eugene O'Neill has written 40 shows including In The Zone (Playwright), Beyond the Horizon (Playwright), The Emperor Jones (Playwright), Diff'rent (Playwright), Gold (Playwright), The Straw (Playwright), The First Man (Playwright), The Hairy Ape (Playwright), Welded (Playwright), Desire Under the Elms (Playwright), Ile (Playwright), The Fountain (Playwright), The Great God Brown (Playwright), Strange Interlude (Playwright), Where the Cross Is Made (Playwright), The Dreamy Kid (Playwright), S. S. Glencairn (Playwright), Dynamo (Playwright), Marco Millions (Playwright), Mourning Becomes Electra (Playwright), Days Without End (Playwright), New Girl in Town (Source Material), Take Me Along (Source Material), Diff'rent (Playwright), The Long Voyage Home (Playwright), Desire Under the Elms (Playwright), Hughie (Playwright), More Stately Mansions (Playwright), All God's Chillun Got Wings (Playwright), Long Day's Journey Into Night / Ah, Wilderness! (Playwright), Ah, Wilderness! (Playwright), Anna Christie (Playwright), The Hairy Ape (Playwright), More Stately Mansions (Playwright), The Iceman Cometh (Playwright), Long Day's Journey Into Night (Playwright), A Touch of the Poet (Playwright), Anna Christie (Source Material), A Moon for the Misbegotten (Playwright), Mourning Becomes Electra (Playwright).

What awards has Eugene O'Neill been nominated for?

Eugene O'Neill has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of the notable nominations include Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play (Drama League Awards) for "Long Day's Journey Into Night" and "The Iceman Cometh," Best Revival (Olivier Awards) for "Mourning Becomes Electra," Outstanding Revival - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for "A Moon for the Misbegotten," Best Play (Tony Awards) for "A Touch of the Poet" and "Long Day's Journey Into Night," Best American Play (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for "Long Day's Journey into Night" and "The Iceman Cometh," and The Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for "Long Day's Journey Into Night," "Strange Interlude," "Anna Christie," and "Beyond the Horizon."

What awards has Eugene O'Neill won?

Eugene O'Neill has won several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable wins include the Best Revival at the Olivier Awards for "Mourning Becomes Electra," Outstanding Revival - Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "A Moon for the Misbegotten," Best American Play at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "Long Day's Journey into Night," the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "Long Day's Journey Into Night," the Best Play at the Tony Awards for "Long Day's Journey Into Night," and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "Strange Interlude," "Anna Christie," and "Beyond the Horizon."

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