Hart, Moss (1904-1961), was an American playwright and director. He became famous for a series of witty comedies on American life that he wrote with George S. Kaufman. Their first success was Once in a Lifetime (1930), a satire about the motion-picture industry. Hart and Kaufman won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for drama for You Can’t Take It With You, a comedy about a family of lovable eccentrics. Their other works included Merrily We Roll Along (1934), The Man Who Came to Dinner (1939), and George Washington Slept Here (1940).
Hart wrote several plays by himself, including Winged Victory (1943), Light Up the Sky (1948), and The Climate of Eden (1952). He also wrote the stories for several musical comedies. Face the Music (1932) and As Thousands Cheer (1933) had music by Irving Berlin, and Lady in the Dark (1941) had music by Kurt Weill.
Hart wrote the scripts for several motion pictures, including Gentleman’s Agreement, which won the 1947 Academy Award as the best movie of the year. He directed many plays and musicals, including the hit musical comedy My Fair Lady (1956). His autobiography, Act One (1959), is an informative book about theater life. Hart was born on Oct. 24, 1904, in New York City. He died on Dec. 20, 1961.
