Donor Profile
Albert Hackett
Born into a theatrical family on February 16, 1900, Albert enjoyed a long and illustrious career. He made his stage debut in 1906 playing the part of a young girl in Lottie, the Poor Saleslady. After being privately tutored, he attended the Professional Children's School in New York City from 1914 to 1916 and then returned to the stage. He toured with Maude Adams in Peter Pan and appeared in prominent roles in many plays, including Up the Ladder, The Nervous Wreck, and the musical version of The Nervous Wreck, Woopee! During this busy time, he also appeared in several films, including Anne of Green Gables.
In 1930, Albert appeared in the successful Up Pops the Devil which he wrote with his partner and future wife Frances. The two were extremely successful during the remainder of their careers. Their list of screenplays includes some of the most popular films of all time. They range from the Thin Man films and Ah, Wilderness!, to the perennial holiday favorite It's a Wonderful Life. Their movie musicals include Naughty Marietta, Lady in the Dark, Easter Parade,The Pirate, and what many consider the greatest movie musical of all time, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Perhaps their greatest success came on October 5, 1955 when their drama The Diary of Anne Frank opened on Broadway. The play was both a popular sensation and a critical triumph. It ran for 717 performances and won the New York Drama Critics Award, the Tony® Award and the Pulitzer Prize. The play was also made into a successful film in 1959 with Albert and Frances writing the screenplay. In 1980, it was remade into a movie for television using the same script.
