Ketti Frings


Ketti Frings was an American author, playwright, and screenwriter who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1958.

Biography

Early years

Born Katherine Hartley in Columbus, Ohio, Frings attended Principia College, began her career as a copywriter, and went on to work as a feature writer for United Press International.

Career

In 1941 her novel Hold Back the Dawn was adapted for the screen. The resulting movie was directed by Mitchell Leisen and starred Olivia de Havilland and Charles Boyer. She wrote her first Broadway play, Mr. Sycamore, in 1942. The play featured Lillian Gish and Stuart Erwin in the lead roles.
Her Hollywood screenplays include Guest in the House, The File on Thelma Jordon, Come Back, Little Sheba, About Mrs. Leslie, The Shrike, and Foxfire.
Frings adapted the Thomas Wolfe novel Look Homeward, Angel into a play of the same name that opened on Broadway in 1957 and ran for 564 performances at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It received six Tony Award nominations and Frings won the annual Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1958. She was named "Woman of the Year" by The Los Angeles Times in the same year.

Personal life

Frings was married to film agent Kurt Frings from 1938 to 1963. The couple had two children, Kathie and Peter. She died of cancer in Los Angeles.