Biography
Richard Henry Wilde Dillard (born October 11, 1937) is an American poet, author, critic, and translator.
Born in Roanoke, Virginia, Dillard is primarily recognized as a poet. He is also esteemed for his fiction, critical essays, and as one of the screenwriters of the cult film Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Roanoke College, followed by a Master of Arts (1959) and a Ph.D. (1965) from the University of Virginia, where he was a Woodrow Wilson and DuPont Fellow. Since 1964, Dillard has been a prominent figure at Hollins University, teaching creative writing, literature, and film studies. He has edited the Hollins Critic since 1996 and served as vice president of the Film Journal from 1973 to 1980.
Dillard has received numerous accolades, including the Academy of American Poets Prize, the O. B. Hardison, Jr. Poetry Prize, and the Hanes Award for Poetry. In 2007, the Association of Writers & Writing Programs honored him with the George Garrett Award for Service to Contemporary Literature. His influence extends to many contemporary writers, including his former spouses Annie Dillard and Cathryn Hankla, as well as Henry S. Taylor, Lee Smith, Lucinda MacKethan, Anne Jones, Rosanne Coggeshall, Wyn Cooper, Jill McCorkle, Madison Smartt Bell, and Julia Johnson.
