Arthur Miller
The Crucible
-"The Crucible took miller a year to write and opened on Broadway January 22nd, 1953 to poor reviews" -public not ready to make the connection between one of the black marks in American history and the current events of the 1950s
Education
-1934, enrolled in University of Michigan -studied writing, won awards for play writing -graduated in 1938 and returned to NYC to begin his professional writing career
First Marriage
-1940 to Mary Slattery and had 2 children -1949 named "Outstanding Father of the Year" -1956 divorced Mary
The Early Plays
-1944 'The Man Who Had All The Luck' opened to horrible reviews -1946 'All My Sons' opened to good reviews and is Miller's first success -'All My Sons' was an autobiographical play about a family trying to save its business and make it through the depression
Death of a Salesman
-1949 opened to rave reviews -Miller's most famous and critically acclaimed plays -Dealt with the depression and overwhelming responsibilities of a failed businessman -Willy Loma was a reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragic hero -Pulitzer Prize and Drama Critic's Circle Award -Translated to more than a dozen languages
Death of a Saleman
-1949 opened to rave reviews -Miller's most successful and critically acclaimed novels -Pulitzer Prize and Drama Critic's Circle Award
The Crucible Planning & Ideas
-1950 Miller began considering writing a play about the hunt for communists -"The Red Hunt" searching for communists by Senator Joseph McCarthy -McCarthy used Hollywood to rid America of communism
Miller on Trial
-1956 Miller was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee to testify as to his affiliation with the Communist Party. He admitted it attending a few meetings and participating in several protests, but denied any party affiliation. -Refusing to name others associated with leftist groups, he was cited for contempt of Congress -This ruling was reversed by the courts in 1958
The Misfits
-1961 -written specifically for Marilyn -Marilyn was late to set regularly due to drug use, causing the film many delays -After filming, the marriage ended -Monroe died in 1962
Third Marriage
-1968 married Inge Morath until her death in 2002 -Miller died in 2005 -daughter married Daniel Day-Lewis who played John Proctor in the 1992 film of 'The Crucible'
American Playwright & American Dream
-Death of a Salesman -Miller Dedicated himself to the investigation of the moral plight of the white American working class -All My Sons
Marriage to Marilyn
-June 29, 1956 married Marilyn Monroe -Many thought it was an unlikely match -Divorced in 1961
Joseph McCarthy
-The Red Hunt reached Hollywood when studios agreed to submit artist's names to the House Committee for clearing prior to employment -Directors, actors, writers and many others were targeted as communists and refused employment by the big studios. Many careers were ruined as a result
Miller's Inspiration: Salem Witch Trials
-While in college, Miller studied the Salem Witch Trials -1952 visited Salem, Mass. -read the transcripts of the trials of 1692 "The more I read into the Salem panic, the more it touched off corresponding ages of common experiences in the '50s
Personal Life
-born NYC 1915 to Jewish immigrant parents -father ran a garment manufacturing business which failed during the Great Depression -Miller worked a number of jobs to pay for college
The Crucible Today
-studied in schools all over the world -1992 film version of the play was released with an all-star cast including Winona Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewis -still a favorite stage production on stages across the world
The Man Who Had All The Luck
1944 opened to horrible reviews
All My Sons
1946 positive reviews