Biography: Lanford Wilson was born on April 13, 1937 in Lebanon, Missouri to Ralph Eugene and Violetta Tate Wilson. He took classes at San Diego State College and the University of Chicago. Much of his work began Off Off Broadway. He co-founded the Circle Repertory Company. He also wrote the texts for several 20th-century operas.

Film/TV Credits: Film credits include: "Lemon Sky" and "Special Thanks to Roy London." Television credits include: "Great Performances," "American Playhouse," "Hot L Baltimore," "ITV Sunday Night Theatre," "Redwood Curtain," "NET Playhouse," "The Migrants," "Working in the Theatre," and "In the Life."

Other Awards: Pulitzer Prize for drama for "Talley's Folly" in 1980. Received the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award for a Master American Dramatist in 2004.

Trivia:
He played Tom in his high school's production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie.
The marquees of Broadway theaters were dimmed in his honor on March 30, 2011.