After graduating from the University of Virginia, Willingham moved to New York City, where he became associated with such literary giants as Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, and Gore Vidal.

American writer of darkly ironic novels, short stories, plays and film scripts. His best known works include Paths of Glory (1957), The Graduate (1967) and Little Big Man (1970). The New Yorker labeled him "the father of modern black comedy".

Sam Spiegel proposed him as a writer for the screenplay of "The Bridge On The River Kwai", after making "The Strange One", which was Willingham's first screenwriting credit. However, a meeting with David Lean didn't go well and the job of writing the script went to others.

Graduated from high school from Darlington School, Rome, Georgia.

Grew up in Rome (Georgia).