George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887 â€" January 31, 1995) was an
American theater producer and director, playwright, screenwriter, and
film director and producer whose career spanned nine decades.Abbott
was born in Forestville, New York, to George Burwell Abbott (May 1858
Erie County, New York â€" February 4, 1942 Hamburg, New York) and
Hannah May McLaury (1869 â€" June 20, 1940 Hamburg, New York). He
later moved to the town of Salamanca, which twice elected his father
mayor. In 1898, his family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he
attended Kearney Military Academy. Within a few years, his family
returned to New York, and he graduated from Hamburg High School in
1907. Four years later, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the
University of Rochester, where he wrote his first play, Perfectly
Harmless, for the University Dramatic Club. Abbott then attended
Harvard University, to take a course in playwriting from George Pierce
Baker. Under Baker's tutelage, he wrote The Head of the Family, which
was performed at the Harvard Dramatic Club in 1912. He then worked for
a year as "author, gofer, and actor" at the Bijou Theatre in Boston,
where his play The Man in the Manhole won a contest.Abbott started
acting on Broadway in 1913, debuting in The Misleading Lady. While
acting in several plays in New York City, he began to write; his first
successful play was The Fall Guy (1925).
American theater producer and director, playwright, screenwriter, and
film director and producer whose career spanned nine decades.Abbott
was born in Forestville, New York, to George Burwell Abbott (May 1858
Erie County, New York â€" February 4, 1942 Hamburg, New York) and
Hannah May McLaury (1869 â€" June 20, 1940 Hamburg, New York). He
later moved to the town of Salamanca, which twice elected his father
mayor. In 1898, his family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he
attended Kearney Military Academy. Within a few years, his family
returned to New York, and he graduated from Hamburg High School in
1907. Four years later, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the
University of Rochester, where he wrote his first play, Perfectly
Harmless, for the University Dramatic Club. Abbott then attended
Harvard University, to take a course in playwriting from George Pierce
Baker. Under Baker's tutelage, he wrote The Head of the Family, which
was performed at the Harvard Dramatic Club in 1912. He then worked for
a year as "author, gofer, and actor" at the Bijou Theatre in Boston,
where his play The Man in the Manhole won a contest.Abbott started
acting on Broadway in 1913, debuting in The Misleading Lady. While
acting in several plays in New York City, he began to write; his first
successful play was The Fall Guy (1925).
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