Pinero, Sir Arthur Wing [key], 1855–1934, English dramatist. He achieved initial success with farces, such as The Magistrate (1885), and sentimental comedies, such as Sweet Lavender (1888). However, with The Profligate (1889), he launched his career as a serious social dramatist. In 1893 the production of The Second Mrs. Tanqueray, his best-known work, raised protest because of its sympathetic portrayal of a woman with a questionable past. His later dramas include The Notorious Mrs. Ebbsmith (1895) and Mid-Channel (1909). All Pinero's plays are noted for their superb craftsmanship. He was knighted in 1909.
See his collected letters, ed. by J. P. Wearing (1974); biography by W. Lazenby (1972).
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