Fannie Flagg

 She was born Patricia Neal an only child in Birmingham, Alabama on September 21, 1944, to William and Marian. Her father a movie theatre projectionist encouraged a young Patricia in her writing; but she struggled with dyslexia and would be scared about writing for many years. This didn’t stop her though; she began acting at age 10 and wrote skits where she played the lead role. Most notably a play called The Whoopie Girls. 

  Neal began working at her local theatre as a spotlight girl, then later as an actress. Her stage debut was as the old lady in On The Town. She also entered several miss Alabama pageants and won Miss Congeniality. This gave her a scholarship for college.  

 At 17, Patricia changed her name to Fannie Flagg, being as Patricia Neal was a famous actress known for films such as The Day The Earth Stood Still. She cohosted a morning show on WBRC-TV in 1964 and a year later moved to New York. In 1965, Fannie began making appearances at the Upstairs at the Downstairs nightclub as a comic. 

  This led to Fannie making her way on Candid Camera as a writer/actress. Fannie recorded two comedy albums, one spoofing Lady Bird Johnson and the other Martha Mitchell. She took her act on tour and made several television appearances on commercials, talk shows, and variety shows such as The Johnny Cash Show.

 Fannie was in the movies Five Easy Pieces, and Some of My Best Friends Are. While making a guest appearance on “What’s my Line” she promoted a new tv series she was starring in - The New Dick Van Dyke Show and did an impression of Joan Fontaine. Dick was an inspiration and mentor for her as an actress. 

 On stage, Fannie made appearances in Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Fannie later had a big break when she became a semi-regular panelist on Match Game in chair #6. Fannie would often wear funny tops and outlandish sweaters.  She had a bit role in the movie Grease.

 This part of Fannie's career led her to entering the Santa Barbara Writing Conference and winning a prize for her short story. This became a book called Coming Attractions - a wonderful novel, based on her life. Fannie was afraid to write because she could not spell but with a publishing company and an editor, she was covered. Her next book Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe at first was rejected for the theme of an old lady living in a nursing home but was picked up by publisher Samuel Vaughan. The book was a bestseller adapted into a blockbuster film. 

 Fannie along with Jon Avnet were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and Writers Guild of America on the film adaptation script of Fried Green Tomatoes. Fannie won the highly regarded scripter award. Upon visiting Frankfort Pierce College in New Hampshire, Fannie was made a honorary doctorate. Her book Fried Green Tomatoes is part of the freshman curriculum there. 

 Fannie had reached a big moment in her career and decided to leave acting to focus on writing. Fannie has gone on to write The Elmwood Springs book series, A Redbird Christmas, I Still Dream About You, and The All-Girl's Filling Station's Last Reunion. Each book has made an appearance on The New York Times Bestseller list.  In 2012, Fannie was given The Harper Lee Award. She is now considered one of the best writers of our day.

 Today Fannie lives in a small Danish town in Southern California.