Jerome Lawrence

He was born Jerome Lawrence Schwartz in Cleveland, Ohio. He is best known for "Auntie Mame," "Inherit the Wind," and "First Monday in October," which he co-wrote with Robert E. Lee. In all, they collaborated on 39 works. A theatre archive is named for them at their alma mater, Ohio State University.

He worked for several small Ohio newspapers as a reporter/editor before moving into radio as a writer for CBS. He taught playwriting at the University of Southern California's Master of Professional Writing Program. The school recently named its one-act-play festival in his honor.

Although his works are still produced, Lawrence's lone Tony Award nomination was for Best Musical, for "Mame" (book). He died in Malibu, California due to complications from a stroke.