Documents concerning aaws history aa officers now acting as aa police to investigate aa members aa officers meet in a brothel paid by german aa inc. If you would like to submit a picture to us for publication, or have any input. The 12 step program is a gift of the higher power to humankind, and one sees the humility of dr. During the next three years after dr bobs recovery our growing groups at akron, new york and cleveland evolved the socalled wordofmouth program of our pioneering time. Bob smith, who founded alcoholics anonymous, were also the original sponsor and sponsoree of the group. The book and cd reveal the cofounders unique contributions to the creation and development of aa, the big book, and the twelve steps and twelve traditions. As alcoholics anonymous enters the 21st century, there is a renewed interest in our early roots.
With james woods, jobeth williams, james garner, gary sinise. Aa s cofounders tell their stories by michael fitzpatrick and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. My feeling, said bill, is that anne should do the one portraying the wife. Subsequently, the history of alcoholics anonymous aa has been documented in books, movies, and aa literature. Edwin throckmorton thacher 29 april 1896 21 march 1966 commonly known as ebby thacher or ebby t. But after the publication in 1939 of the groups textbook, alcoholics anonymous, and the. Yet the official founding date of alcoholics anonymous is june 10, 1935, the day of dr. As we commenced to form a society separate from the oxford group. Bob and the good oldtimers the life story of the fellowships cofounder interwoven with recollections of early a. Alcoholics anonymous aa was founded in 1935 by bill wilson known as bill w. Bobs home in akron, the two men began helping alcoholics one person at a time. As new groups were started, local newspapers began to print articles about this strange new fellowship. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism generally known as the big book is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism, written by the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa, bill w. It took four years to get the first 100 participants sober in the first three groups that formed in akron, new york, and cleveland.
Drama 3m, 3f w doubling unit set newly revised edition. People do recover from the disease of alcoholism by working a 12 step12 tradition aa program, as founded by bill w and dr bob. William griffith wilson november 26, 1895 january 24, 1971, also known as bill wilson or bill w. Wilson is cofounder of alcoholics anonymous, a man included in time magazines 100 persons of the 20th century. Bob was sober a few months less than three years, and the other 100 early members who contributed in one way or another to the writing of the. A sincere effort has been made to insure both the accuracy and authenticity of all posted pictures. Bob smith, as well as the story their wives, lois wilson and anne smith. In 1938, bill began to write what would become the first edition of the big book.
Virtually everyone agrees that aa started with bill wilsons own drinking problem, and bill had his last drink on december 11, 1934. In the early days of aa the members struggled to discern the next step forward. One of the ironies, and a delicious fragment of aa trivia is that at the time the big book was being written. Bob, a play about the founding of alcoholics anonymous, is presented by the hazelden treatment center, but is 99 percent preachinessfree. Bill suggested that anne have a chapter in the book to herself. Dr bob and bill w speak this unique book and audio cd draw on letters, journal entries, and speeches from alcoholics anonymous aa conferences and recorded conversations to tell the personal stories of aa cofounders dr. This is a wellbalanced and reasonably accurate story of the history of alcoholics anonymous meetings that provides a bit more of the effects of the mens alcoholism on their wives than most other plays. Following aas twelfth tradition of anonymity, wilson is commonly known as bill w. During a business trip to ohio, he found himself standing in the lobby of a hotel, craving a drink. Bob oops, evangelical protestants dont do that, now do they, but you know what i mean. Robert holbrook smith august 8, 1879 november 16, 1950, also known as dr. Bob smiths last drinka soothing warm beer handed to him by bill w.
This film reconstructs the true story of stockbroker william griffith wilson, a world war i veteran whose small drinking problem becomes a serious addiction after he loses his fortune in the stock market collapse of 1929. They say that if dr bob had been the sole founder everyone would need to go to akron to get sober. Bob continued to work together to fashion aa during. From tales of horatio alger to celebrity portraits in people, fortune, and sports illustrated, the american success story powerfully conveys our cultures and dreams. Absorbing, moving, and often amusing, this richly evocative play tells the story of the two men who pioneered alcoholics anonymous, bill wilson and dr. Wilsons career and his domestic life are in tatters when he meets dr. Bob had each been in contact with the oxford group, a mostly nonalcoholic fellowship that emphasized universal spiritual values. The book explores their lives, starting with their early drinking days, while the audio recordings begin with their first speeches in the 1940s and continue through bill w. Aa history is being rewritten in some quarters to demonize bill and to canonize dr.
In politics they were both conservative republicans but in aa bill was a liberal and bob a fundamentalist. This new production of sam shem and janet surreys tale of the founding of alcoholics anonymous is a compelling if long piece of theater. Through the tireless efforts of the two men, others joined them and the small group of sober alcoholics grew person by person, group by group. This history begins with the groups early struggles and continues through its worldwide growth. History of the 12 steps of na and aa where did they come from. I await with anticipation for your part two, which no doubt shall shed more light on this aspect of how bill and dr. Aas cofounders tell their stories by michael fitzpatrick and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Bobs last drink is june 10, 1935 the founding date of alcoholics anonymous, the day there were two sober people in fellowship, and the day dr. In a july 1953 grapevine article titled a fragment of history. Aa is an international mutual aid fellowship with about 2 million members worldwide belonging to approximately 10,000 groups, associations, organizations, cooperatives, and fellowships of alcoholics helping other alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety. Wilson was a member of the oxford group, a christian outreach program begun by an american missionary. Bill w and dr bob abebooks abebooks shop for books. Together they founded the alcoholics anonymous aa fellowship.
Lois and ruth had each started scrapbooks, and they happily pasted up the clippings as they. From the author of the bestselling novel, the house of god, this critically acclaimed version which played offbroadway in 2007, tells the amazing story of the two men who pioneered alcoholics anonymous, and of their wives, who founded al anon. The big book was originally published in 1939 by bill w. See also the royalty agreement between bill wilson and aaws regardless if bill is or is not author of a work huge royalties are received see also the last will and testament of bill wilson dated 12th day of january. It took four years to get the first 100 alcoholics sober in the first three groups that formed in akron, new york, and cleveland. Bob had died in 1950, and bill and lois wilson were living in the shingled house called stepping stones in bedford hills, new york.
Bob realized that they had discovered a way to help alcoholics get sober that actually worked, according to cheevers biography, and by the end of 1937, they had split with the oxford group and begun raising funds for a new fellowship. Bobs residence in akron, the two men began helping other individuals with alcoholism, one person at a time. Aa historian and archivist michael fitzpatrick used his research conducted at. Cover and carry both your big book and 12 x 12 together in this stylish and convenient faux leather. Contact information is at the end of the video if you would like to book the show. To me people have to identify as alcoholics in an aa meeting and adding anything else to that does reinforce the idea that they might be different from the rest of the people in the room. Interviews, recreations, and rare archival material reveal how bill wilson, a hopeless drunk near death from his alcoholism, found a way out of his own addiction and then forged a path for countless others to follow. There has been a series of reprints and revisions, as well as. He is credited with introducing wilson to the initial principles that aa would soon develop, such as one alcoholic talking to another, and the jungian thesis which was passed along to rowland. William griffith wilson, also known as bill wilson or bill w. Origin of the twelve steps reproduced in the language of the heart, page 200 bill w wrote.
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