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Eugene O'Neill, the greatest American dramatist and winner of the Nobel Prize in 1936, was born in a Broaway hotel room
in 1888. He was brought up in New York City and New London, Connecticut. He was the son of a famous romantic actor, James O'Neill and virtually raised in the theater. He accompanied his fanous father as he traveled around the country giving dramatic performanes. Eugene entered Princeton University (1906), but was expelled. He married (1909) and te young couple had a son, but divorced (1909). Eugene tried many different undertakings, gold prospector in Honduras, a seaman, but with little success. He lived in New York City's flophouses and drank heavily in cheap saloons. He contracted tuberculosis (1912). It was during his recovery while reading that he conceived the idea of writing plays.
He was the son of a famous romantic actor, James O'Neill and virtually raised in the theater. His father was especially known for his stage role as the Count of Monte Cristo.
Eugene was born in a Broaway hotel room in 1888. He had a brother several years older. He was brought up in New York City and New London, Connecticut. He accompanied his fanous father as he traveled around the country giving dramatic performanes. Much of his childhood was spent in New London. We have two photographs of Eugene as a boy of about 10 years of age. These photographs were taken in the town of New London, Connecticut, the picturesque place where Eugene spent much of his early childhood. He
is sitting on a large rock near the sea and apparently writing in a notebook which he kept as a child--an early adumbration, perhaps, of his calling as an author and playwright. He seems to be wearing schooboy
clothes--a dark suit with knee pants, long black stockings, high ankle-length boots (with little metal hooks for the shoe laces), and a peaked schoolboy cap. HBC already has a photograph of Eugene on the
porch of his family home taken a couple of years later when he was about 12 or 13. These photographs are very natural--not posed, as many photos of the period were. But the look of intense, unsmiling
concentration on the boy's face already suggests the profound unhappiness that he infused into autobiographical plays such as "Long Day's Journey Into Night".
We do not have details at this time on Eugene's clothing as a boy. We do have two photographs showingsome of the clothes he wore. The first photo shows Eugene as a boy of about 4 with his arm around a puppy (figure 1). He wears a white shirt, striped knee pants, long black stockings and high-button over-the-ankle boots. Notice the peaked cap which appears to have ear flaps. The picture was probably taken about 1892. The second photo shows Eugene with his father and older brother Jamie O'Neill on the porch of their New London cottage, called "Monte Cristo Cottage". Eugene is shown at the age of about 13 wearing a white knee pants outfit, although it is difficult to make out details. Although the outfit is all white, he wears long black
stockings. He is reading a book. Jamie O'Neill, about 22
at the time, wears a shirt with detachable stiff collar, a light colored tie,
long trousers, and a straw boater. The picture was probably taken about 1902
or 1903.
Eugene entered Princeton University (1906), but was expelled.
He married (1909) and the young couple had a son, but divorced (1909). Eugene tried many different undertakings, gold prospector in Honduras, a merchant sailor, but with little success. He lived in New York City's flophouses and drank heavily in cheap saloons.
Eugene O'Neill is one of Amnerica's most notable playwrites. O'Neill contracted tuberculosis as a young man (1912). It was during his recovery while reading that he conceived the idea of writing plays as during his recovery he had a great deal of time on his hands. O'Neill went on to win the Nobel Prize for literature (1936). He was awarded Pulitzer Prizes for four of his plays: "Beyond the Horizon" (1920); "Anna Christie" (1922); "Strange Interlude" (1928); and "Long Day's Journey Into Night" (1957). O'Neill is America's first widely regarded playwrite. He is credited by many litrary historians with raising American dramatic theater to a respected art form. The endearing play "Ah, Wilderness" is his only comedy and somewhat uncharacteristic since most his famous plays such as "Long Day's Joruney into Night" are so relentlessly dark and tragic. Hollywood made "Ah, Wilderness" into a popular movie with Mickey Rooney.
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