Heinlen, Howard Atlee
Biographical / Historical Note
Howard Atlee Heinlen, known professionally as Howard Atlee, was born on May 14, 1926 in Bucyrus, Ohio. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1944 and while on duty on the USS Perry it stopped in Boston where he saw his first professionally staged play at the Colonial Theatre. It was at this play that he met persons from Emerson College. When he left the navy in 1946 he enrolled in the Emerson theater department.
He graduated in the class of 1950 and after a brief stint in acting he became a public relations representative. He made his name in the theater world representing both off-Broadway and Broadways productions from his New York office. He worked very closely with the playwright and director Edward Albee from his early days at the Cherry Lane Theater to his later Broadway Productions. Heinlen was also involved with the founding of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) in 1967, for which he acted as a press agent for until the 1990's.
Outside of the Public Relations business, Heinlen began breeding and showing dachshunds in the 1960s, his kennel was called Penthouse, and he eventually became a licensed show judge. He married Barbara Anne Schumacher on November 25, 1977 after meeting her at a dog show where she was showing her Salukis. Heinlen went back to acting, both on stage and in film, in the 1990s. Most notably he played recurring roles in Deadline and Law& Order Criminal Intent as well as staring in plays like Dancing at Lughnasa.