Sophie Treadwell

Sophie Treadwell, born Oct 3 1885 in Stockton, Ca., was a writer, playwright, journalist, women's rights advocate, and novelist. Sophie Treadwell's foray into the theatre began as an actress in vaudeville and included early mentoring by the famed Polish actress Helena Modjeska. Author of forty plays, Treadwell was one of only a few women dramatists who also directed and produced many of her own works. She is best known for her play "Machinal", inspired by the real life case of convicted and executed murderer Ruth Snyder. "Machinal" premiered on the Plymouth theatre on Broadway, NYC, on Sept 7, 1928, and is considered one of the centerpieces of Expressionist theatre on the American stage. The cast included a young Clark Gable. In 1954 the Robert Montgomery Presents series staged "Machinal" directed by Perry Lafferty, with Joan Lorring in the lead. Six years later, in 1960, Philip Saville directed "Machinal", with Joanna Dunham as "Helen". for the television production series - The Armchair Mystery Theatre. Two other plays of Sophie Treadwell was also produced for television. She was married to a fellow journalist, the renowned sportswriter William O. McGeehan. Sophie Treadwell died February 20, 1970, in Tucson, Arizona.