• Legendary American playwright served Baylor students in final years

    To Kill a MockingbirdHorton Foote made his name as a writer, earning two Academy Awards (one for the screenplay of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which is 25th on the AFI’s most recent list of the top 100 American movies ever) and a Pulitzer Prize. In retirement, when he could have chosen to work with students at any college in the country, he chose Baylor.

    Foote, who passed away last week at 92, joined the Baylor faculty in 2002 as Visiting Distinguished Dramatist, speaking to theatre students twice a year for a week or two. In 2004, Baylor’s bi-annual celebration of American playwrighting was named the Horton Foote American Playwrights Festival in his honor.

    Though not an alumnus of the University, Foote’s Baylor connections ran deep; his great-great-grandfather, Albert Clinton Horton, was the first lieutenant governor of Texas and not only was a charter member of Baylor’s board of trustees, but also gave $5000 to help the fledgling institution get started.

    Sic ’em, Foote family!