Augustus Thomas


Augustus Thomas was an American playwright.

Biography

Born in St. Louis, Missouri and son of a medical doctor, Thomas worked a number of jobs including as a page in the 41st Congress, studying law, and gaining some practical railway work experience before he turned to journalism and became editor of the Kansas City Mirror in 1889. Thomas had been writing since his teens when he wrote plays and even organized a small theatrical touring company.
Thomas was hired to work as an assistant at Pope's Theatre in St. Louis. During this time, he wrote a one-act play called Editha's Burglar, based on a short story by Frances Hodgson Burnett called The Burglar. After touring in the play, he expanded the show to four acts, renamed it The Burglar, and was able to get Maurice Barrymore to play the title role. Subsequently, he was hired to succeed Dion Boucicault adapting foreign plays for the Madison Square Theatre.
His first successful play, Alabama, was produced by Kirke La Shelle in 1891 and its financial reward allowed Thomas to write full-time. Alabama is the story of an un-reconstructed Confederate. Notably, Thomas was one of the first playwrights to make use of American material. Other plays along the same lines include In Mizzoura, Arizona, Colorado and Rio Grande. Perhaps his most successful play was The Copperhead which made Lionel Barrymore a star.
Thomas joined The Lambs theatrical club in 1889 and served as its president from 1907 to 1910. In 1913, he was the first recipient of the Gold Medal for Drama from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
He died in 1934 and was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

Select works

Editha's Burglar, 1884The Burglar, 1889 A Man of the World, 1889Reckless Temple, 1890A Woman of the World, 1890Alabama, 1891Colonel Carter of Cartersville, 1892In Mizzoura, 1893New Blood, 1894Arizona, 1900Oliver Goldsmith, 1900Colorado, 1900Soldiers of Fortune, 1902 The Earl of Pawtucket, 1903The Other Girl, 1903Mrs. Leffingwell's Boots, 1905The Embassy Ball, 1906The Witching Hour, 1907The Harvest Moon, 1909The Member from Ozark, 1910As a Man Thinks, 1911The Copperhead, 1918Nemesis, 1921The Print of My Remembrance, 1922Still Waters, 1926

Select filmography

Arizona The Jungle Shore Acres Paid in Full The Nightingale Arizona The Capitol The Copperhead The Bonnie Brier Bush Thirty Days The Family Secret