Eugene O'Neill (1888-1953)

The father of Eugene O'Neill was the stage actor James O'Neill who was born in Kilkenny, Ireland. James was famous for his role as the Count of Monte Crisco, which he played for over ten years to much commercial success. Eugene's first play Beyond the Horizon opened on Broadway in 1920 and was met with great acclaim. Other notable plays include The Iceman Cometh, Moon for the Misbegotten, Ah! Wilderness and Desire Under the Elms. His autobiographical play Long Day's Journey Into Night was published three years after his death. He rejected the melodramas that dominated theater in his earlier career and with his success introduced America into more serious works that included a much deeper development of characters and relationships. He won numerous awards during his life including the Nobel Prize for literature and four Pulitzer Prizes for Drama.