ARTHUR MILLER
He attended the University of Michigan, and graduated in 1938. While still in college, Miller had begun writing plays, two of which won important awards. His first play to be professionally produced, The Man Who Had All the Luck, was a failure that lasted only four performances. His next play, All My Sons, produced in 1947, was a success, winning the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. This success was repeated in 1949 with his play Death of a Salesman, which won the Pulitzer Prize and another New York Drama Critics Circle Award.
His next play, The Crucible, was produced in 1953, and was a condemnation of the McCarthy hearings and anti-communist hysteria of the times. Miller himself was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1956 and, in 1957, he was found in contempt of Congress for refusing to identify individuals seen at communist organized meetings. His conviction was later reversed by U. S. Court of Appeals.
Miller's highly autobiographical play, After the Fall, followed in 1964. In addition to his plays, Miller is the author of other works including novels, and movie and television screenplays. He recently collaborated in the screenplay for the movie version of The Crucible, starring Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder.