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Agee was born in Knoxville, Tennessee at Highland Avenue and 15th Street (renamed James Agee Street in 1999) to Hugh James Agee and Laura Whitman Tyler, and had distant French and English ancestry on his father's side. When Agee was six, his father died in an automobile accident, and from the age of seven he and his younger sister, Emma, were educated in boarding schools.  

Agee was born in Knoxville, Tennessee at Highland Avenue and 15th Street (renamed James Agee Street in 1999) to Hugh James Agee and Laura Whitman Tyler, and had distant French and English ancestry on his father's side. When Agee was six, his father died in an automobile accident, and from the age of seven he and his younger sister, Emma, were educated in boarding schools.  

The most influential of these was located near his mother's summer cottage two miles from Sewanee, Tennessee. [[Saint Andrews-Sewanee School|Saint Andrews School for Mountain Boys]] was run by Episcopal monks affiliated with the Order of the Holy Cross), and it was there that Agee's lifelong friendship with an Episcopal priest, '''Father James Harold Flye'''[http://www.nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php/Fr._Flye], began in 1919. As Agee's close friend and spiritual confidant, Flye was the recipient of many of Agee's most revealing letters.  

The most influential of these was located near his mother's summer cottage two miles from Sewanee, Tennessee. [[Saint Andrews-Sewanee School|Saint Andrews School for Mountain Boys]] was run by Episcopal monks affiliated with the Order of the Holy Cross), and it was there that Agee's lifelong friendship with an Episcopal priest, '''Father James Harold Flye'''[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Fr._Flye], began in 1919. As Agee's close friend and spiritual confidant, Flye was the recipient of many of Agee's most revealing letters.  

[[Image:Ageetofrfly-2.jpg|left|thumb|Letters of James Agee to [[Fr. Flye]]]]

[[Image:Ageetofrfly-2.jpg|left|frame|Letters of James Agee to [[Fr. Flye]]]]

Agee went to Knoxville High School for the 1924-1925 school year, then travelled with Father Flye to Europe in the summer, when Agee was sixteen. On their return, Agee moved to boarding school in New Hampshire, entering the class of 1928 at [[Phillips Exeter Academy]]. There he was president of The Lantern Club and editor of the ''Monthly'' where his first short stories, plays, poetry and articles were published. Despite barely passing many of his high school courses, Agee was admitted to [[Harvard University]]'s class of 1932. He was editor-in-chief of the ''Harvard Advocate'' and delivered the class ode at his commencement.

Agee went to Knoxville High School for the 1924-1925 school year, then travelled with Father Flye to Europe in the summer, when Agee was sixteen. On their return, Agee moved to boarding school in New Hampshire, entering the class of 1928 at [[Phillips Exeter Academy]]. There he was president of The Lantern Club and editor of the ''Monthly'' where his first short stories, plays, poetry and articles were published. Despite barely passing many of his high school courses, Agee was admitted to [[Harvard University]]'s class of 1932. He was editor-in-chief of the ''Harvard Advocate'' and delivered the class ode at his commencement.

After graduation, he wrote for ''Fortune]]'' and ''[[Time]]'' magazines, although he is better known for his later film criticism in ''[[The Nation (U.S. periodical)|The Nation]]''. He married Via Saunders on January 28, 1933; they divorced in 1938 and that same year he married Alma Mailman. In 1934, he published his only volume of poetry, ''Permit Me Voyage'', with a foreword by [[Archibald MacLeish]].

After graduation, he wrote for ''Fortune'' and ''Time'' magazines, although he is better known for his later film criticism in ''[[The Nation (U.S. periodical)|The Nation]]''. He married Via Saunders on January 28, 1933; they divorced in 1938 and that same year he married Alma Mailman. In 1934, he published his only volume of poetry, ''Permit Me Voyage'', with a foreword by [[Archibald MacLeish]].

In the summer of 1936, Agee spent eight weeks on assignment for ''Fortune'' with photographer [[Walker Evans]] living among sharecroppers in Alabama. While ''Fortune'' didn't publish his article (he left the magazine in 1939), Agee turned the material into a book entitled, ''[[Let Us Now Praise Famous Men]]'' 1941. It sold only 600 copies before being remaindered. That same year, Alma moved to Mexico with their year-old son, Joel, to live with Communist writer [[ Bodo Uhse]]. Agee began living with Mia Fritsch in [[Greenwich Village]], whom he married in 1946. They had two daughters, Teresa and Andrea, and a son, John, who was eight months old when Agee died.  

In the summer of 1936, Agee spent eight weeks on assignment for ''Fortune'' with photographer [[Walker Evans]] living among sharecroppers in Alabama. While ''Fortune'' didn't publish his article (he left the magazine in 1939), Agee turned the material into a book entitled, ''[[Let Us Now Praise Famous Men]]'' 1941. It sold only 600 copies before being remaindered. That same year, Alma moved to Mexico with their year-old son, Joel, to live with Communist writer [[ Bodo Uhse]]. Agee began living with Mia Fritsch in [[Greenwich Village]], whom he married in 1946. They had two daughters, Teresa and Andrea, and a son, John, who was eight months old when Agee died.  

[[Image:praisefamousmen.jpg|right]]

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In 1942, Agee became the film critic for ''Time'', while also writing occasional book reviews, and subsequently becoming the film critic for ''The Nation''. In 1948, however, he quit both magazines to become a freelance writer.  One of his assignments was a well received article for ''[[Life Magazine]]'' about the great silent movie comedians, [[Charles Chaplin]], [[Buster Keaton]], [[Harold Lloyd]] and [[Harry Langdon]],  which has been credited for reviving Keaton's career.  As a freelance in the 1950's, he continued to write magazine articles while working on movie scripts, often with photographer [[Helen Levitt]].

In 1942, Agee became the film critic for ''Time'', while also writing occasional book reviews, and subsequently becoming the film critic for ''The Nation''. In 1948, however, he quit both magazines to become a freelance writer.  One of his assignments was a well received article for ''[[Life Magazine]]'' about the great silent movie comedians, [[Charles Chaplin]], [[Buster Keaton]], [[Harold Lloyd]] and [[Harry Langdon]],  which has been credited for reviving Keaton's career.  As a freelance in the 1950's, he continued to write magazine articles while working on movie scripts, often with photographer [[Helen Levitt]].

Agee was an ardent champion of [[Charlie Chaplin]]'s then extremely unpopular film ''[[Monsieur Verdoux]]'' (1947), which has since become a film classic. He was also a great admirer of [[Laurence Olivier]]'s ''[[Henry V (1944 film)|Henry V]]'' and ''[[Hamlet (1948 film)|Hamlet]]'', especially ''Henry V'', for which he actually published three separate reviews, all of which have been printed in the collection ''Agee on Film''.

Agee was an ardent champion of [[Charlie Chaplin]]'s then extremely unpopular film ''[[Monsieur Verdoux]]'' (1947), which has since become a film classic. He was also a great admirer of [[Laurence Olivier]]'s ''[[Henry V (1944 film)|Henry V]]'' and ''[[Hamlet (1948 film)|Hamlet]]'', especially ''Henry V'', for which he actually published three separate reviews, all of which have been printed in the collection ''Agee on Film''.

In 1951 in Santa Barbara, California, Agee suffered the first two in a series of heart attacks, which ultimately claimed his life four years later at the age of 45.  He died on May 16, 1955 while in a taxi cab en route to a doctor's appointment -- coincidentally two days before the anniversary of his father's death.[http://www.ageefilms.org/ageebio.html] James Agee (1909-1955)] Chronology of his Life and Work He was buried on a farm he owned at [[Hillsdale, NY]].

In 1951 in Santa Barbara, California, Agee suffered the first two in a series of heart attacks, which ultimately claimed his life four years later at the age of 45.  He died on May 16, 1955 while in a taxi cab en route to a doctor's appointment -- coincidentally two days before the anniversary of his father's death.[https://www.ageefilms.org/ageebio.html] James Agee (1909-1955)] Chronology of his Life and Work He was buried on a farm he owned at [[Hillsdale, NY]].

===Hollywood and ''The Night of the Hunter''===

===Hollywood and ''The Night of the Hunter''===

===Legacy===

===Legacy===

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During his lifetime, Agee enjoyed only modest public recognition, but since his death his literary reputation has grown. In 1957 his novel, ''A Death in the Family'' (which was based on the events surrounding his father's death), was published posthumously and in 1958 won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.   

During his lifetime, Agee enjoyed only modest public recognition, but since his death his literary reputation has grown. In 1957 his novel, ''A Death in the Family'' (which was based on the events surrounding his father's death), was published posthumously and in 1958 won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.   

== External links ==

== External links ==

*[http://xahlee.org/PageTwo_dir/Tales_dir/james_agee_mother_tale.html A Mother's Tale]

*[https://xahlee.org/PageTwo_dir/Tales_dir/james_agee_mother_tale.html A Mother's Tale]

*[http://www.ageefilms.org/ageebio.html A chronology of James Agee's life & work] from Agee Films

*[https://www.ageefilms.org/ageebio.html A chronology of James Agee's life & work] from Agee Films

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: Languages and Literature]]

[[Category: Languages and Literature]]