Lillian Hellman (1905-1984) was born to a Jewish family in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her maternal grandmother, Sophie Marx, was from a prominent family in Alabama, and it is said that some of The Little Foxes was inspired by this side of the family. Hellman’s childhood was spent between living in New Orleans and New York City. Hellman went on to study for two years at New York University and to take courses from Columbia University, as well.

Hellman first started working in the industry in the 1930s, when she was hired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) as a reader. The job was not incredibly stimulating, but it put her in rooms with other creatives, creating opportunities to connect with people who could eventually help her own career. While there, she met Dashiell Hammett. The two fell in love, and she divorced her first husband in 1932 so she could have a relationship with Hammett. The two never married, but remained in a relationship until Hammett’s death in 1961.

Hellman had her Broadway debut in 1934 with her play The Children’s Hour. The play depicts a jilted schoolgirl accusing two female teachers of having a lesbian relationship. The accusation is eventually proven false, but not before one of the teachers’ fiancés rejects her and dies by suicide.