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William Alfred

1922 – 1999

American playwright and Professor of English literature at Harvard University

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About William Alfred

Lived 1922 – 1999 (aged 76). William Alfred was an American playwright.

William Alfred (August 16, 1922 – May 20, 1999) was an American playwright, poet, and professor of English literature at Harvard University.

Biography Alfred was born into an Irish family in Brooklyn, New York. His father was a bricklayer and his mother was a telephone operator. He graduated from St. Francis Preparatory School in 1940. While in the army, he was taught Bulgarian at a language school and then stationed in the South Pacific, where he wrote poems for American Poet.

Alfred's plays were heavily inspired by his Irish American roots. The most influenced plays include Hogans Goat, Cry For Us All, and The Curse of an Aching Heart.

He began teaching at Harvard the same year he received his doctorate and was appointed full professor in 1963. They maintained a close relationship and remained lifelong friends. and Robert Lowell.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Harvard University, St. Francis Preparatory School
Employers
Harvard University

People in William Alfred's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Alfred's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William Alfred?

American playwright and Professor of English literature at Harvard University (1922–1999)

When was William Alfred born?

William Alfred was born on 16 August 1922 in New York.

When did William Alfred die?

William Alfred died on 20 May 1999.

What was William Alfred's occupation?

William Alfred was a playwright.

What nationality was William Alfred?

William Alfred was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Alfred

· Wikidata: Q8004294

· DBpedia: William Alfred

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Alfred. https://biography.guide/william-alfred/

MLA: "William Alfred." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-alfred/.

Chicago: "William Alfred." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-alfred/.

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