Albert Horton Foote Jr. (March 14, 1916March 4, 2009) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He received Academy Awards for his screenplays for the 1962 film ''

To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a novel by the American author Harper Lee. It was published in 1960 and was instantly successful. In the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' has become ...

'', which was adapted from the 1960 novel of the same name by Harper Lee, and his original screenplay for the film ''

Tender Mercies ''Tender Mercies'' is a 1983 American drama film directed by Bruce Beresford. The screenplay by Horton Foote focuses on Mac Sledge, a recovering alcoholic country music singer who seeks to turn his life around through his relationship with a young ...

'' (1983). He was also known for his notable live television dramas produced during the

Golden Age of Television The first Golden Age of Television is an era of television in the Television in the United States, United States marked by its large number of live productions. The period is generally recognized as beginning in 1947 with the first episode of th ...

. Foote received the 1995

Pulitzer Prize for Drama The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...

for his play '' The Young Man From Atlanta''. He was the inaugural recipient of the Austin Film Festival's Distinguished Screenwriter Award. In 2000, he was awarded the

National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...

Early life

Foote was born in 1916 in

Wharton, Texas Wharton is a city in and the county seat of Wharton County, Texas, Wharton County, Texas, United States. This city is southwest of Houston. The population was 8,832 at the 2010 census and 8,627 at the 2020 census. Wharton is located on the Colora ...

, the son of Harriet Gautier "Hallie" Brooks (1894–1974) and Albert Horton Foote (1890–1973). His younger brothers were Thomas Brooks Foote (1921–44), who died in aerial combat over Germany during World War II, and John Speed Foote (1923–95).

Television

Foote moved to California, where he studied theater at the

Pasadena Playhouse The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...

in 1931–32. He began his career as an actor, but was also writing plays. After getting better reviews for his plays than for his acting, during the 1940s he focused on writing. He became one of the leading writers for American television during the 1950s, beginning with an episode of ''

The Gabby Hayes Show The Gabby Hayes Show was the name given to two early children's television series. Both series were broadcast on NBC, and both were sponsored by the Quaker Oats Company. Gabby Hayes was the host of a series that featured history stories. He al ...

''. His play ''

The Trip to Bountiful ''The Trip to Bountiful'' is a 1985 American drama film directed by Peter Masterson and starring Geraldine Page, John Heard, Carlin Glynn, Richard Bradford and Rebecca De Mornay. It was adapted by Horton Foote from his 1953 play of the same ...

'' premiered March 1, 1953 on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

with the leading cast members ( Lillian Gish,

Eva Marie Saint Eva Marie Saint (born July 4, 1924) is an American actress of film, theatre and television. In a career spanning over 70 years, she has won an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, alongside nominations for a Golden Globe Award and two Brit ...

) reprising their roles on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

later that year. The play was later adapted as a feature film of the same name. Throughout the 1950s, Foote wrote for ''

The Philco Television Playhouse ''The Philco Television Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series that was broadcast live on NBC from 1948 to 1955. Produced by Fred Coe, the series was sponsored by Philco. It was one of the most respected dramatic shows of the Golde ...

'', ''

The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation (U. S ...

'', ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...

'', '' Studio One'', and ''

Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canad ...

'', among others. He continued into the 1960s with ''

ITV Playhouse ''Playhouse'' is a British television anthology series that ran from 1967 to 1983, which featured contributions from playwrights such as Dennis Potter, Rhys Adrian and Alan Sharp. The series began in black and white, but was later shot in colour ...

'' and ''

DuPont Show of the Month ''DuPont Show of the Month'' was a 90-minute television anthology series that aired monthly on CBS from 1957 to 1961. The DuPont Company also sponsored a weekly half-hour dramatic anthology series hosted by June Allyson, '' The DuPont Show with ...

''. He twice adapted

William Faulkner William Cuthbert Faulkner (; September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer known for his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, based on Lafayette County, Mississippi, where Faulkner spent most of ...

's " Old Man" to television, in 1958 and 1997. Each received an Emmy nomination. In 1997 Foote won Outstanding Writing of a Miniseries or Special).

Theatre

Foote's plays were produced on

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

Off-Off-Broadway Off-off-Broadway theaters are smaller New York City theaters than Broadway and off-Broadway theaters, and usually have fewer than 100 seats. The off-off-Broadway movement began in 1958 as part of a response to perceived commercialism of the prof ...

and at regional theatres, such as the

Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization. Part of its present theater complex occupies the lan ...

in Chicago."Horton Foote Off-Broadway"
lortel.org, accessed March 20, 2019Sommer, Elyse

curtainup.com, accessed March 23, 2019 He wrote the English adaptation of the original Japanese book for the 1970 musical '' Scarlett,'' a musical adaptation of ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

''. He won the 1995

for '' The Young Man From Atlanta''. The

production that was taken to Broadway in 1997 was nominated for the

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

Best Play, but did not win. The production starred Rip Torn,

Shirley Knight Shirley Knight Hopkins (July 5, 1936 – April 22, 2020) was an American actress who appeared in more than 50 feature films, television films, television series, and Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in her career, playing leading and charac ...

and

Biff McGuire William "Biff" McGuire (October 25, 1926 – March 9, 2021) was an American actor. Best known as Inspector Kramer in ''Nero Wolfe'' (1979). Early years McGuire attended Hamden High School and the University of Massachusetts, where he studied agr ...

. Knight and McGuire were also nominated for Tony Awards. In 1996, Foote was inducted into the

American Theater Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the organization's Executive Committee. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the ...

. In 2000, Foote was honored with the

PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award The PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award, commonly referred to as the PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award, is awarded by the PEN America (formerly PEN American Center). It annually recognizes two American playwrights. A medal is given ...

as a Master American Dramatist. His nine-play biographical series, mainly about his father, ''

The Orphans' Home Cycle ''The Orphans' Home Cycle'' is a 3-play drama written by Horton Foote. Each of the three plays in the trilogy comprises three one-act plays. They are ''The Story of a Childhood'' (Part 1), ''The Story of a Marriage'' (Part 2), and ''The Story of a ...

'', ran in repertory Off-Broadway in 2009–2010. These plays are ''Roots in a Parched Ground'', ''Convicts'', ''Lily Dale'', ''The Widow Claire'', ''Courtship'', ''Valentine's Day'', ''1918'', ''Cousins'', and ''The Death of Papa''. The combined productions received a Special

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

"To the cast, creative team and producers of Horton Foote's epic ''The Orphans' Home Cycle''". Some plays had previously been produced separately. ''Convicts'', ''Lily Dale'', ''Courtship'', ''Valentine's Day'' and ''1918'' were filmed, and the latter three were shown on PBS in 1987 as a mini-series titled ''The Story of A Marriage''. In describing his three-play work, ''

'', the drama critic for the

Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

said this: "Foote, who died last March, left behind a masterpiece, one that will rank high among the signal achievements of American theater in the 20th century."

Films

Foote received an

Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay adapted from previously established material. The most frequently adapted media are novels, but other adapted narrative formats include stage plays, music ...

and the

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO * The Writers Guil ...

Screen Award for his adaptation of ''

'' in 1963. Foote did not attend the Oscars ceremony in 1963 because he did not expect to win, and so was not present to collect the award in person; it was accepted on his behalf by the film's producer,

Alan J. Pakula Alan Jay Pakula (; April 7, 1928 – November 19, 1998) was an American film director, writer and producer. He was nominated for three Academy Awards: Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Picture for ''To Kill a Mockingbird (film), To Kill a Moc ...

. Foote personally recommended actor

Robert Duvall Robert Selden Duvall (; born January 5, 1931) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career spans more than seven decades and he is considered one of the greatest American actors of all time. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, four Gold ...

for the part of

Boo Radley Harper Lee's ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' was published in 1960. Instantly successful, widely read in middle and high schools in the United States, it has become a classic of modern American literature, winning the Pulitzer Prize. She wrote the novel ...

in ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' after meeting him during a 1957 production of '' The Midnight Caller'' at

Neighborhood Playhouse A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural ar ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. The two would work together many more times in the future. Foote had described Duvall as "our number one actor." Foote's script for the 1983 film ''

'' had been rejected by many

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

s before

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n director

Bruce Beresford Bruce Beresford (; born 16 August 1940) is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 50-year career, both locally and internationally in the United States. Beresford's notable films he has directed include '' B ...

finally accepted it; Foote later said, "this film was turned down by every American director on the face of the globe." The film received five 1984 Academy Award nominations, including

Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

and

Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...

(which Foote won)."Oscars. Ceremonies 1984"
oscars.org, accessed March 22, 2019 Duvall won the

Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...

for his performance. Aware of his failure to attend the 1963 ceremony, Foote made sure to attend the 1984 ceremony. The film also earned Foote the

Award for Best Screenplay. Other film scripts include ''

Baby the Rain Must Fall ''Baby the Rain Must Fall'' is a 1965 American drama film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Lee Remick, Steve McQueen and Don Murray. Dramatist Horton Foote, who wrote the screenplay, based it on his 1954 play ''The Traveling Lady.'' Thi ...

'' starring

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...

and

Lee Remick Lee Ann Remick (December 14, 1935 – July 2, 1991) was an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film '' Days of Wine and Roses'' (1962), and for the 1966 Tony Award for Best Actress in ...

, which was based on his play ''The Travelling Lady''. The film was directed by

Robert Mulligan Robert Patrick Mulligan (August 23, 1925 – December 20, 2008) was an American director and producer. He is best known for his humanist dramas, including ''To Kill a Mockingbird (film), To Kill a Mockingbird'' (1962), ''Summer of '42'' (1971), ' ...

, who had worked with Foote on ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' in 1962. Foote generally wrote screenplays that were based on his plays, such as the semi-autobiographic trilogy of '' 1918'' (1985), ''

On Valentine's Day ''On Valentine's Day'' is a 1986 American drama film directed by Ken Harrison. It is the sequel of Harrison's '' 1918''. It was entered into the main competition at the 43rd Venice International Film Festival and was screened at the 1986 Toronto ...

'' (1986) and ''Courtship'' (1987). ''1918'' and ''On Valentine's Day'' were shot on location in

Waxahachie, Texas Waxahachie ( ) is the seat of government of Ellis County, Texas, United States. Its population was 41,140 in 2020. Etymology Some sources state that the name means "cow" or "buffalo" in an unspecified Native American language. One possible ...

. His screenplay for ''

'' (1985) received an Academy Award nomination and Geraldine Page won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film. He also adapted works by other authors, such as

John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...

(''

Of Mice and Men ''Of Mice and Men'' is a novella written by John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it narrates the experiences of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in search of new job o ...

'', directed by and starring

Gary Sinise Gary Alan Sinise (; born March 17, 1955) is an American actor, humanitarian, and musician. Among other awards, he has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also received a sta ...

with

John Malkovich John Malkovich (born December 9, 1953) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Aw ...

). In addition to Faulkner's ''Old Man'', Foote adapted Faulkner's short story ''Tomorrow'' as a 1972 film of the same name starring Robert Duvall. Foote had previously adapted the story as a play for television's Playhouse 90 in 1960.

Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic and film historian, as well as an author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is perhaps best known for his book of fil ...

, in his movie guide book, calls the movie the best film adaptation of any of Faulkner's work. On the subject of Faulkner, Foote said, "Faulkner I never met but evidently he liked y adaptationsbecause he's allowed me to share the dramatic copyrights to both ''Old Man'' and ''Tomorrow'' ... So in other words, you have to get both our permissions to do it." Playwright

Lillian Hellman Lillian Florence Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American playwright, prose writer, memoirist and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway, as well as her communist sympathies and political activism. She was blacklisted aft ...

adapted his 1952 play and 1956 novel for the 1966 film '' The Chase'', with

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...

, Jane Fonda and

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...

. Foote provided the voice of

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...

for Ken Burns's critically acclaimed documentary, ''The Civil War'' (PBS, 1990). Adaptations of his plays ''The Habitation of Dragons'' (TNT, 1992) and ''Lily Dale'' (Showtime, 1996) preceded the Showtime production of ''Horton Foote's Alone'' (1997). His final work was the screenplay for '' Main Street'', a 2010 dramatic film.

Honors and style

Foote was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2006 from Carson-Newman University. He received an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 1987 from

Spalding University Spalding University is a private Catholic university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is affiliated with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. History Spalding University traces its origins to Nazareth Academy, one of the oldest educational instituti ...

(

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

). One of Foote's primary biographers is Dr. Gerald Wood, former chairman of the English Department at Carson-Newman. Books by Wood about Foote include ''Horton Foote and the Theater of Intimacy'' and ''Horton Foote: A Casebook'' (Taylor & Francis, 1998, ; rev. Routledge, 2014, ). Wood and Marion Castleberry co-edited ''The Voice of an American Playwright: Interviews with Horton Foote'' (Mercer University Press, 2012, ).

Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the fir ...

also holds close ties with Foote. In 2002, Foote accepted the title as "Visiting Distinguished Dramatist" with the Baylor Department of Theatre Arts.

Tess Harper Tessie Jean Harper (''née'' Washam; born August 15, 1950) is an American actress. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her first film role in 1983's '' Tender Mercies'', and for the Academy Award for B ...

, an actress who worked with Foote on ''Tender Mercies'', described him as "America's

Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

. If he didn't study the

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

ns, he's a reincarnation of the Russians. He's a quiet man who writes quiet people." Regarding his own writing, Foote said, "I know that people think I have a certain style, but I think style is like the color of the eyes. I don't know that you choose that." Foote made an effort to employ lifelike language in his writing, citing

W. B. Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish liter ...

's work as an example of this realistic approach. In an interview with playwright Stuart Spencer, Foote discusses his writing and material: "I think there's certain things you don't choose. I don't think that you can choose a style; I think a style chooses you. I think ''that's'' almost an unconscious choice. And I don't know that you can choose subject matter, really. I think that's almost an unconscious choice. I have a theory that from the time you're 12 years old all your themes are kind of locked in.". The Fine Arts Building at the college located in

, Wharton County Junior College, is named the Horton Foote Theatre. He was known to be a large supporter of the arts in his hometown of

. A Horton Foote Scholarship is awarded at the school to one student per year who excels in theatre. In December 2000, President Bill Clinton presented Foote with the

, saying that he was "the nation's most prolific writer for stage, film, and television." ;Academy Awards *''

'' (winner) – Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium (1962) *''

'' (winner) – Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (1983) *''

'' (nominee) – Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium (1985)

Personal life

Foote was married to Lillian Vallish Foote (1923–1992) from June 4, 1945, until her death in 1992. Their four children are actors Albert Horton Foote, III;

Hallie Foote Barbara Hallie Foote (born March 31, 1950) is an American actress. Life and career Born Barbara Hallie Foote in Manhattan, the daughter of Lillian Vallish Foote and writer and director Horton Foote, she was raised in Nyack, New York and New Hamps ...

; playwright Daisy Brooks Foote; and director, writer and lawyer Walter Vallish Foote. They have worked on projects with their father. Hallie and Albert Horton Foote III (aka Horton Jr.) appeared in their father's film ''1918'' (1985). Hallie has appeared on stage in her father's works, including, for example, ''

Dividing the Estate ''Dividing the Estate'' is a play by Horton Foote. The play premiered at the McCarter Theatre in 1989 and Off-Broadway in 2007, winning the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play. Overview Set in the fictional town of ...

'' in 2008, ''The Orphans' Home Cycle Part III: The Story of a Family'' in 2010 and ''Harrison, TX: Three Plays by Horton Foote'' Off-Broadway in 2012. Daisy wrote the play ''When They Speak of Rita'' (2000) in which Hallie appeared and was directed by their father. Foote was introduced to Christian Science while in California and went on to become a dedicated member of the church. He served as a First Reader in a branch church in

Nyack, New York Nyack () is a Village (New York), village located primarily in the Town (New York), town of Orangetown, New York, Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, Rockland County, New York (state), New York, United States. Incorporated in 1872, it retai ...

, and also taught Sunday School for many years while living in

New Boston, New Hampshire New Boston is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,108 at the 2020 census, up from 5,321 at the 2010 census. New Boston is home to the annual Hillsborough County Agricultural Fair and the Molly Stark ...

. Foote was the voice of

in the 11-hour PBS series '' The Civil War'' (1990).

Shelby Foote Shelby Dade Foote Jr. (November 17, 1916 – June 27, 2005) was an American writer, historian and journalist. Although he primarily viewed himself as a novelist, he is now best known for his authorship of '' The Civil War: A Narrative'', a three ...

wrote the comprehensive three volume, 3000-page history, together titled '' The Civil War: A Narrative'', upon which the series was partially based and who appeared in almost ninety segments. The two Footes are third cousins; their 2x great-grandfathers were brothers. Foote was the cousin of actor/director

Peter Masterson Peter Masterson (born Carlos Bee Masterson Jr.; June 1, 1934 – December 18, 2018) was an American actor, director, producer, and writer. Life and career Masterson often worked with his cousin, writer Horton Foote. Acting from the mid-1960s ...

who directed three of his screenplays, including ''The Trip to Bountiful'', ''

Convicts A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison". Convicts are often also known as "prisoners" or "inmates" or by the slang term "con", while a common label for former convict ...

'' and the Hallmark Hall of Fame television production of ''Lily Dale'', starring

Mary Stuart Masterson Mary Stuart Masterson (born June 28, 1966) is an American actress and director. She has starred in the films '' At Close Range'' (1986), '' Some Kind of Wonderful'' (1987), '' Chances Are'' (1989), ''Fried Green Tomatoes'' (1991) and '' Benny & ...

, Peter's daughter. Foote died on March 4, 2009.Obituary
Star-Gazette

Stage plays

'' is a series of nine plays concerning Horace Robedaux (an alias for Horton Foote's father, Albert Horton Foote Sr.), Elizabeth Vaughn (his mother Harriet Gauthier "Hallie" Brooks), and their extended families. * ''Wharton Dance'' (1940) * ''Texas Town'' (1941) * ''Only the Heart'' (1942) * ''Out of My House'' (1942) * ''Two Southern Idylls:'' ''Miss Lou'' / ''The Girls'' (1943) * ''The Lonely'' (1944) * ''Goodbye to Richmond'' (1944) * ''Daisy Lee'' (one-act) (1944) * ''Homecoming'' (1944) * ''In My Beginning'' (1944) * ''People in the Show'' (1944) * ''Return'' (1944) * ''Celebration'' (1950) * ''The Chase'' (1952) smd * ''The Traveling Lady'' (1954) * ''The Dancers'' (1954) * ''John Turner Davis'' (1956) * ''The Midnight Caller'' (1956) * ''

'' (1962) * ''Roots in a Parched Ground'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1962) * ''Tomorrow'' (1968) * ''Gone with the Wind'' (Author of book) (1972) * ''A Young Lady of Property'' (1976) * ''Night Seasons'' (1977) * ''Courtship'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1978) * ''1918'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1979) * ''In a Coffin in Egypt'' (1980) * ''Valentine's Day'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1980) * ''The Man Who Climbed the Pecan Trees'' (1981) * ''The Old Friends'' (1982) * ''The Roads to Home:'' ''Nightingale'' / ''The Dearest of Friends'' / ''Spring Dance'' (1982) * '' The Land of the Astronauts'' (1983) * ''Cousins'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1983) * ''The Road to the Graveyard'' (one-act) (1985) * ''Courtship/Valentine's Day'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1985) * ''The One-Armed Man'' (1985) * ''The Prisoner's Song'' (1985) * ''Blind Date (one-act) (1985) * ''Convicts'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1986) * ''The Widow Claire'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1986) * ''Lily Dale'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1986) * ''The Habitation of Dragons'' (1988) * ''The Death of Papa'' (''Orphans' Home'' cycle) (1999) * ''Dividing the Estate'' (1989) * ''Talking Pictures'' (1990) * ''Laura Dennis'' (1995) * '' The Young Man From Atlanta'' (1995) * '' The Day Emily Married'' (1996) * ''Vernon Early'' (1998) * ''The Last of the Thorntons'' (2000) * ''The Carpetbagger's Children'' (2001) * ''The Actor'' (San Francisco, 2002)Ehren, Christine
"ACT's Young Conservatory Premieres Two New Footes in San Francisco Jan. 17-27"
platbill, January 17, 2002 * ''Getting Frankie Married — and Afterwards'' (

South Coast Repertory South Coast Repertory (SCR) is a professional theatre company located in Costa Mesa, California. Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson, is led by Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Direc ...

, 2002) * ''

'' (2008) * ''Harrison, TX: Three Plays by Horton Foote'' (Off-Broadway, 2012)Saltzman, Simon
"A CurtainUp Review. 'Harrison, TX: Three Plays By Horton Foote'"
curtainup.com, August 8, 2012

Original screenplays

* ''

'' (1983) * ''Alone'' (1997) * ''Main Street'' (2009)

Memoirs

* ''Farewell: A Memoir of a Texas Childhood'' (Scribner, 1999)Ehren, Christine
"Horton Foote's "Farewell" Remembers Texas Childhood"
playbill, June 16, 1999 * ''Beginnings'' (2001), Simon and Schuster, 2002,

References

Sources

* * * Castleberry, Marion. 2014. ''Blessed Assurance: The Life and Art of Horton Foote.'' Macon, GA: Mercer University Press.

External links

* * * *
Interview with Horton Foote
from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image {{DEFAULTSORT:Foote, Horton 1916 births 2009 deaths American Christian Scientists Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Wharton, Texas Pulitzer Prize for Drama winners Writers Guild of America Award winners Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award winners Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 21st-century American dramatists and playwrights American male screenwriters American male dramatists and playwrights Writers of American Southern literature Converts to Christian Science Screenwriters from Texas Screenwriters from New Hampshire People from Nyack, New York 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers Screenwriters from New York (state) 20th-century American screenwriters Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters