James Kirkwood Jr.

James Kirkwood Jr. (August 22, 1924 – April 21, 1989) was an American playwright, author and actor. In 1976 he received the Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the Broadway hit A Chorus Line. Kirkwood was born in Los Angeles. His father James Kirkwood Sr. was an actor and director in silent films, and his mother was actress Lila Lee. He had a half sister Joan Mary Kirkwood Thompson. After their divorce, he spent much of his time with his mother's family in Elyria, Ohio, where he graduated from high school.