Clare Boothe Luce was an American author, politician, diplomat, and public commentator. She was the first American woman appointed to a major ambassadorial post abroad, serving as Ambassador to Italy from 1953 to 1956. She was also a successful playwright, with her most famous work being The Women, which was made into a film in 1939. She was a strong advocate for women's rights and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993.