Horton Foote Biography

Fast Facts

• Won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "The Young Man From Atlanta․"
• Received the National Medal of Arts in 2000 for his work as a playwright and screenwriter
• Made his debut on Broadway in a production of "Only the Heart" in 1944
• Developed an interest in acting at a young age and went on to study at the Pasadena Playhouse
• Quote: "I'm a social writer in the sense that I want to record, but not in the sense of trying to change people's minds․"
• Quote: "I believe very deeply in the human spirit ․․․ I've known people that the world has thrown everything at to discourage them, to kill them, to break their spirit․ And yet something about them retains a dignity․"
• Quote: "I don't think I'll ever stop writing․ I write almost every day․ I'd write plays even if they were never done again․ You're at the mercy of whatever talent you have․"
• Known for writing the screenplays for 1962's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and 1983's "Tender Mercies," both of which earned him Academy Awards
• To support himself in his early years as a playwright and actor, he worked a variety of jobs like bookstore clerk and night elevator operator