Maxwell Anderson
James Maxwell Anderson (December 15, 1888 – February 28, 1959) was an American playwright, author, poet, journalist, and lyricist. Anderson faced many challenges in his career, frequently losing jobs for expressing his opinions or supporting controversial figures. Despite this, he found success as a dramatist and wrote a number of hit plays, including What Price Glory, Both Your Houses, and The Bad Seed. Many of his works were adapted for the screen, and he wrote screenplays for other authors' works as well. Anderson was married three times and had a tumultuous personal life, ultimately passing away in 1959 after suffering a stroke. His papers and personal effects can be found in various institutions, with the largest collection housed at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Background Anderson was born on December 15, 1888 in Atlantic, Pennsylvania, the second of eight children to William Lincoln "Link" Anderson, a Baptist minister, and Charlotte Perrimela ('Premely') Stephenson, both of Scotch-Irish descent. His family initially lived on his maternal grandmother Sheperd's farm in Atlantic, then moved to Andover, Ohio, where his father became a railroad fireman while studying to become a minister. They moved often, to follow their father's ministerial posts, and Maxwell was frequently sick, missing a great deal of school. He used his time sick in bed to read voraciously, and both his parents and Aunt Emma were storytellers, which contributed to Anderson's love of literature. During a visit to his grandmother's house in Atlantic, at age 11, he met the first love of his life, Hallie Loomis, a slightly older girl from a wealthier family. His autobiographical tale Morning, Winter and Night told of rape, incest and sadomasochism on the farm. It was published under the pseudonym John Nairne Michealson to prevent offending family. The Andersons lived in Andover, Ohio; Richmond Center, Ohio; Townville, Pennsylvania; Edinboro, Pennsylvania; McKeesport, Pennsylvania; New Brighton, Pennsylvania; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Jamestown, North Dakota. Anderson attended Jamestown High School, graduating in 1908. Career Journalist As an undergraduate, Anderson waited tables and worked at the night copy desk of the Grand Forks Herald, and he was active in the school's literary and dramatic societies. He obtained a BA in English Literature from the University of North Dakota in 1911. Anderson became the principal of a high school in Minnewaukan, North Dakota, also teaching English there, but was fired in 1913 for making pacifist statements to his students. He then entered Stanford University, obtaining an Master's degree in English Literature in 1914. He became a high school English teacher in San Francisco. After three years, Anderson became chairman of the English department at Whittier College in 1917. He was fired after a year for public statements supporting Arthur Camp, a jailed student seeking status as a conscientious objector. Anderson moved to Palo Alto to write for the San Francisco Evening Bulletin, but he was fired for writing an editorial stating that it would be impossible for Germany to pay its war debt. He then