Betty Smith

Betty Smith (1896–1972) was an American author and playwright. The daughter of German immigrants, she grew up in poor circumstances in Brooklyn. Her first novel, *A Tree Grows in Brooklyn*, was published in 1943 and became an immediate success. Smith went on to publish further novels and plays, several of which received awards. Her novel *Joy in the Morning* was adapted for film in 1965, with Richard Chamberlain among its stars.