Robert Ardrey
| Robert Ardrey | |
|---|---|
Robert Ardrey, c. 1960
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| Born |
October 16, 1908 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Died | January 14, 1980 (aged 71) Kalk Bay, South Africa |
| Occupation | Writer, screenwriter, and playwright |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater |
University of Chicago, Phi Beta Kappa, 1930 Mentor was Thornton Wilder |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | |
| Spouses | Helen Johnson (m. 1938–1960; divorced) Berdine Grunewald (m. 1960–1980; his death) |
Robert Ardrey (October 16, 1908 – January 14, 1980) was an American playwright, screenwriter and science writer. After a Broadway and Hollywood career he returned to his academic training in anthropology and the behavioral sciences in the 1950s.
As a playwright and screenwriter Ardrey received many accolades. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1937, won the inaugural Sidney Howard Memorial Award in 1940, and in 1966 received an Academy Award nomination for best screenplay for his script for Khartoum. His most famous play, Thunder Rock, is widely considered an international classic.
Ardrey's scientific work played a major role in overturning long-standing assumptions in the social sciences. In particular, African Genesis (1961) and The Territorial Imperative (1966), two of his most widely read works, were instrumental in changing scientific doctrine and increasing public awareness of evolutionary science. His work was so popular that many prominent scientists cite it as inspiring them to enter their fields.
Robert Ardrey was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Robert Leslie Ardrey and Marie Haswell. His father died in 1919 from pneumonia during the influenza epidemic and he was raised by his mother. He grew up on the South Side of Chicago and attended the nearby University of Chicago, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. While in attendance, he studied creative writing with Thornton Wilder, who would become his lifelong mentor.
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