Bus Stop | Author Biography

William Inge was born on May 3, 1913, in Independence, Kansas. He was raised by his mother, Maude; his father was a traveling salesman and was rarely at home. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1935, Inge attended the George Peabody College for Teachers, but left before completing his graduate program.

William Inge
William Inge

After a brief period teaching English at a local high school, Inge returned to college to complete his graduate degree. He also worked as a drama critic, and it was during this period that he met Tennessee Williams who encouraged him to write drama. Inge completed his first play that year, and with the help of Williams, Farther Off from Heaven was produced in 1947.

In 1949, Inge wrote Come Back, Little Sheba, which was produced on Broadway in 1950 and earned the George Jean Nathan Award and Theatre Time Award. Three years later, Picnic won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama the Outer Circle Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, and the Donaldson Award.

He had two more hits on Broadway in quick succession: Bus Stop and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs. After so much early success, his next plays, A Loss of Roses, Natural Affection, and Where’s Daddy? were commercial failures, each closing after only a few performances.

Inge had more success with his first attempt at screenwriting, Splendor in the Grass, which received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1961. Following this success, he moved to Los Angeles to concentrate on screenplays, but never repeated his early success.

Inge was deeply affected by negative reviews of his work. He struggled with depression and alcoholism much of his life. Several of his plays focus on the complexity of family relationships and deal with characters who struggle with failed expectations, depression, and addiction. His death in 1973 from carbon monoxide poisoning was ruled a suicide.