A. E. Hotchner Papers (MSS056), 1957-2018 | MSS Manuscripts

Hotchner, A. E.

Aaron Edward "A. E." Hotchner (June 28, 1917 - ) is an American memoirist, novelist, playwright and biographer. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Hotchner graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with degrees in both history and law. He briefly practiced law, then served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Because of his experience writing plays and musicals in college, the Air Corps assigned him to write a musical for the benefit of war widows, before going into officer training school, and then anti-submarine command, where he was eventually assigned to make a film about the command. When the war was over, he decided to forgo the law and pursue a career in writing.

In 1948, Hotchner was sent on assignment to solicit articles from many well-known writers, including Ernest Hemingway, who invited Hotchner to meet, and the two became close friends until Hemingway's death in 1961. Hotchner is well-known for Papa Hemingway, his 1966 memoir/biography of Hemingway, whose work he exclusively had adapted for plays and television. His play Sweet Prince was produced off-Broadway in 1982 at the Theater Off-Park. King of the Hill, Hotchner's evocative memoir of his childhood in St. Louis during the Great Depression, was made into a film in 1993, by director Steven Soderbergh.

Over the years, Hotchner also wrote biographies of Doris Day and Sophia Loren, as well as many novels, memoirs, nonfiction books, stage plays and teleplays. He founded Newman's Own, Inc., with his friend and neighbor, actor Paul Newman, in 1982, and has remained active with the corporation, which donates 100% of its profits to charities.