author
George Kelly
1887–1974
A sharp-eyed American playwright, actor, and director, he became known for witty stage comedies that poked at middle-class manners and pretensions. His best-known works include The Torch-Bearers, The Show-Off, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Craig's Wife.
1 Audiobook
The Torch-Bearers: A Satirical Comedy in Three Acts
by George Kelly
About the author
Born in Philadelphia in 1887, George Kelly began in vaudeville as an actor and sketch writer before turning to playwriting. He built a reputation for clean, incisive comedy and drama, often focusing on the habits and ambitions of American middle-class life.
His major successes came in the 1920s. The Torch-Bearers and The Show-Off helped establish his name on Broadway, and Craig's Wife won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. He also worked as a screenwriter and director, showing the same sharp sense of character across stage and film.
Kelly died in 1974 in Pennsylvania. Though he is sometimes remembered today through his famous extended family, his own work stands on its own for its exacting dialogue, social satire, and clear-eyed view of domestic life.