Edward Peple

Born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1869, Edward Henry Peple first worked in the railroad business before turning to writing for the stage. That practical background gave way to a successful career as a playwright, and he became known for comedies and farces that connected easily with theater audiences.

His best-known works include The Prince Chap, The Littlest Rebel, and A Pair of Sixes. Several of his plays had strong lives beyond their first productions, and The Littlest Rebel later reached an even wider audience through its film adaptation.

Peple died in New York in 1924. Though he is not as widely remembered today as some of his contemporaries, his plays capture a vivid moment in American popular theater, when touring productions, Broadway success, and adaptable storytelling could carry a writer's work far beyond the printed page.