Zoë Akins was a multifaceted writer, born on October 30, 1886, in Humansville, Missouri. She received her education through homeschooling and attending institutions such as Monticello Seminary and Hosmer Hall in St. Louis, Illinois.
Akins resided in St. Louis for several years, where she honed her writing skills by contributing poetry and criticism to the magazine "Reedy's Mirror". She eventually became a successful contributor to leading magazines of her time.
As a playwright, Akins wrote 40 plays, with her first Broadway production being "The Magical City" in 1915. This was followed by 17 original plays that premiered on Broadway over the next three decades.
Her first major success was the play "Declassée", which starred Ethel Barrymore and ran for 257 performances in the 1919-1920 season. Another notable hit was "The Greeks Had a Word for It", which ran for 253 performances in the 1930-1931 season. Her most famous play, "The Old Maid", adapted from Edith Wharton's novel, ran for 305 performances from January to September 1935 and earned Akins the 1935 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Akins' work was not limited to the stage. Her play "Daddy's Gone A-Hunting" was adapted into a film in 1925, directed by Frank Borzage. Hollywood also purchased the rights to her plays "Declassée" and "The Moon-Flower", which were adapted into films. In 1930, Akins began working as a screenwriter, collaborating with director Dorothy Arzner on films such as "Sarah and Son" and "Anybody's Woman".
Apart from the films adapted from her plays, Akins wrote or contributed to the stories of 15 motion pictures. Her most notable film credit was as a contributing writer on the classic "Camille" in 1936, alongside James Hilton and Frances Marion.
Zoë Akins passed away on October 29, 1958, in Los Angeles, California, just one day shy of her 72nd birthday.
