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Arthur Miller was born on 17 October 1915 in Harlem. He grew up during the American Depression and this situation affected his own family when his father's clothing factory experienced financial difficulties.
Arthur Miller himself worked briefly as an salesman. Through his small jobs he earned his way to university. He studied journalism and after graduating he began to write. On leaving university Miller briefly joined the Federal Teatre, a nation- wide organisation designed to help unemployed writers, actors, directors and designers.
Among other works he submitted was a play called "The Golden Years", which was finally produced in a radio and television version. After that he focused on radio plays while he was working at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
His first Broadway play "The Man Who Had All the Luck" was a desaster and they closes it after 4 Days. With his play "All My Sons" he returned to the theatre and it was an immediate success. "Death of a Salesman" was performed in 1949 an won the Pulitzer prize. With his big success Arthur Miller was established as a playwright. Some years later he wrote "The Crucible" where he criticized the persecution of witches in the early America.
In 1957 Arthur Miller was brought before the Congressional Committee which investigated "unamerican activities" or Communism, and he refused to name anyone who expressed left-wing sympathies. He was convicted to contempt of Congress. The press respected him for his cool and dignified manner under interrogation. The conviction for contempt was reversed the following year by the Supreme Court.
It was at his point that Arthur Miller married Marilyn Monroe, who he was devorced 4 years later. In 1962 he married his present wife Ingeborg Morath, a photographer. Arthur Miller's career has continued and his stature as one of America's playwright has been consolidated and "Death of a Salesman" became for many his most memorable work.
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