Molly Kazan
American dramatist (1906–1963)
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Molly Day Kazan (/kəˈzæn/ kə-ZAN; née Thacher; December 16, 1906 – December 14, 1963) was an American dramatist and the first wife of director Elia Kazan.
December 16, 1906
Molly Kazan | |
|---|---|
Kazan during rehearsal for the stage production The Egghead in 1957 | |
| Born | Molly Day Thacher December 16, 1906 South Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | December 14, 1963 (aged 56) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations | Dramatist, playwright |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, including Nicholas Kazan |
| Relatives |
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Biography
Molly Day Thacher was born in South Orange, New Jersey,[1][2] the daughter of Emma Cecelia (née Erkenbrecher) and Alfred Beaumont Thacher, a lawyer.[3][4] Her grandparents were Elizabeth (Day) and Thomas Anthony Thacher, a classicist and college administrator. Her uncle, Thomas Thacher, was a lawyer.
Kazan graduated from Vassar College and attended the Yale Drama School for two years, where she met Elia Kazan.[2] Molly was dating Elia's friend and roommate Alan Baxter at the time, until Molly left Baxter for Elia.[5][6] Molly and Elia Kazan married in 1932.[2][7]
Molly Day Kazan was the head of the playwriting division of Actors Studio for several years before resigning in May 1962.[2][8][9]
In 1949, she wrote the book for a musical titled "Queen of Sheba".[2] She wrote the play The Egghead in 1957, which ran for twenty-one performances on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The play was directed by Hume Cronyn.[10][11][12][13] She wrote the one-act plays Rosemary, and The Alligator in 1960.[2][14][15][16]
Elia had numerous extramarital affairs which caused serious rifts with Molly, including with Constance Dowling and Marilyn Monroe.[17] Elia has also been characterized as a narcissist, having written to Molly after admitting to the affair with Monroe, "If you divorce me, I'll tell you plainly I will in time get married again and have more children. I feel I'm a family man and I want a family, and am a damned good one. I dont care what your judgment is on that. I think I see the world around me (us) a hell of a lot more clearly than you do or anyone else does for that matter."[18] Despite this, the couple stayed together, and Molly was very influential on his professional life.[18]
She died on December 14, 1963, two days before her 57th birthday, in Bellevue Hospital in New York City following a cerebral hemorrhage.[2][19] Her funeral was held at St. Clement's Protestant Episcopal Church with over 400 people in attendance.[20] She was survived by her husband and four children, including the playwright Nicholas Kazan.[20] Her granddaughters are the actresses Zoe and Maya Kazan.[21]