Kermit Hunter

Who was Kermit Hunter?

Kermit Houston Hunter American playwright known primarily for writing outdoor historical dramas.

Born in McDowell County, West Virginia in 1910, Hunter first attended Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia before he went on to Ohio State University where he graduated in 1931. During his time at Ohio State, Hunter was initiated into the Theta Delta chapter of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. After graduation, he held a number of jobs and joined the U.S. Army in 1940. After rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel, he became the assistant chief of staff of the Caribbean Defense Command. He was later awarded the Legion of Merit. After World War II, he served as the business manager for the North Carolina Symphony.

In 1947, Hunter decided to pursue graduate studies in the Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While enrolled, three of Hunter's plays were produced by the Carolina Playmakers, a dramatic group at the University. When the Cherokee Historical Association began looking for a playwright to write an outdoor drama to be performed in Cherokee, North Carolina, Hunter won the commission and wrote his most famous play Unto These Hills. The play opened July 1, 1950 and still plays on at the Mountainside Theatre. He also wrote the play for the Cherokee Nation based in Tahlequah, OK, The Trail of Tears. This play was performed each summer at the Cherokee Heritage Center located south of Tahlequah until the mid-90's.