Eugene O'Neill.

James O’Neill, a famous actor, played The Count of Monte Cristo over 4,000 times, a commercial success that sacrificed artistic range. His son Eugene was born on October 16, 1888 in a New York City hotel room at the Barrett Hotel, a residence for theatrical performers. His mother Ella became addicted to morphine after his difficult birth, a tragedy that marked the family. Eugene’s older brother Jamie was an alcoholic, and the household was filled with dysfunction. These experiences, along with his own battle with tuberculosis, became raw material for his autobiographical plays.

O’Neill’s first full-length play Beyond the Horizon opened on Broadway on February 2, 1920, winning his first Pulitzer Prize for Drama that May. He followed with Anna Christie, a 1921 Pulitzer winner, and Strange Interlude, a 1928 Pulitzer winner, experimenting with expressionism and psychological depth. After a decade of seclusion, The Iceman Cometh debuted in 1946, initially failing but revived successfully in 1956. His play Long Day’s Journey Into Night premiered posthumously in 1956 and earned his fourth Pulitzer. He also wrote Mourning Becomes Electra, which won a Laurence Olivier Award in 2004.

O’Neill married three times: Kathleen Jenkins, from 1909 to 1912; Agnes Boulton, from 1918 to 1929; and Carlotta Monterey, from 1929 to 1953. He had three children: Eugene O’Neill Jr., with Kathleen; Shane O’Neill, with Agnes; and Oona O’Neill, with Agnes. Oona married Charles Chaplin in 1943, prompting him to disown her. Both sons struggled with substance abuse and died by suicide. He battled alcoholism and made a suicide attempt as a young man.

Eugene O’Neill’s four Pulitzer Prizes in 1920, 1921, 1928, and 1956 remain a record. His 1936 Nobel Prize in Literature was the first for an American playwright. His works have been revived countless times; The Iceman Cometh won a Tony Award in 1957 and Long Day’s Journey Into Night won Best Play. He influenced playwrights Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and Edward Albee. Posthumous honors include a star on the Playwrights’ Sidewalk and a U.S. postage stamp in 1967. Audiences remember his unflinching portrayals of human despair and family tragedy.