Jay Presson Allen

Jay Presson Allen
Allen c. 1970
Born
Jacqueline Presson

(1922-03-03)March 3, 1922
DiedMay 1, 2006(2006-05-01) (aged 84)
Occupation
  • Screenwriter
  • playwright
  • novelist
SpouseRobert M. Davis
(1940s; divorced)
Lewis M. Allen
(1955–2003; his death)

Jacqueline “Jay” Presson Allen (March 3, 1922 – May 1, 2006) was an American screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. Known for her withering wit and sometimes off-color wisecracks, she was one of the few women making a living as a screenwriter at a time when women were a rarity in the profession. She was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, for Bob Fosse’s Cabaret (1972) and Sidney Lumet’s Prince of the City (1981), among several other accolades.