Mary Chase

Mary Chase. Mary Coyle Chase was an American playwright and journalist best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy Harvey. A longtime resident of Denver, Colorado, she began her career as a reporter for Rocky Mountain News before achieving international fame on Broadway. Her work, often blending whimsical fantasy with sharp social observation, left a lasting mark on 20th-century American theatre.

Early life and education

Mary Agnes McDonough Coyle was born in Denver, Colorado, to an immigrant family; her father was from County Donegal and her mother from County Mayo. She was immersed in Irish folklore and storytelling from a young age, influences that would later permeate her dramatic writing. Chase attended Sacred Heart College in Denver and later studied at the University of Colorado and the University of Denver. Her early professional path led her to the city desk of the Rocky Mountain News, where she worked as a reporter during the Great Depression, covering crime and politics.

Career and writing

Chase's journalism career at the Rocky Mountain News and later the International News Service honed her narrative skills and understanding of human character. Her first foray into playwriting came with Me Third, a comedy produced in Denver in 1937. She continued to write plays while raising a family, finding her voice in comedies that often featured eccentric characters and explored themes of kindness and nonconformity. Her early works, such as Now You've Done It and The Next Half Hour, received regional productions, building her reputation before her major breakthrough.

Harvey and theatrical success

Chase's enduring legacy was cemented with the 1944 premiere of Harvey on Broadway, directed by Antoinette Perry and starring Frank Fay as Elwood P. Dowd. The play, featuring a charming protagonist whose best friend is an invisible six-foot-tall Pooka rabbit, became a phenomenal hit, running for over 1,700 performances. In 1945, it earned Chase the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, triumphing over Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie. The subsequent 1950 film adaptation, starring James Stewart and directed by Henry Koster, received an Academy Award nomination and solidified the story's place in popular culture. The play remains a staple of community theatre and has seen notable revivals featuring stars like Helen Hayes and James Stewart himself.

Later works and adaptations

Following the success of Harvey, Chase wrote several other plays, though none achieved the same monumental popularity. Mrs. McThing (1952), a fantasy starring Helen Hayes, enjoyed a successful Broadway run and was adapted for television on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Bernardine (1952) was adapted into a 1957 film starring Pat Boone. Other works include The Prize Play, Mickey, The Dog Sitters, and Cocktails with Mimi. Her final Broadway play, Midgie Purvis (1961), starred Tallulah Bankhead. Chase also wrote for television, contributing to series like Studio One.

Personal life and legacy

In 1928, she married Robert L. Chase, a reporter and editor for the United Press, with whom she had three sons. She lived most of her life in Denver, Colorado, and was deeply involved in local cultural life. Chase received numerous honors, including awards from the American Theatre Wing and an honorary doctorate from the University of Denver. She died in Denver in 1981. Her work, particularly Harvey, continues to be celebrated for its gentle humanism and timeless appeal, ensuring her a distinguished place in the history of American comedy.

Category:American dramatists and playwrights Category:Pulitzer Prize for Drama winners Category:Writers from Denver, Colorado