Brown, John Mason

(1900-1969)

   The eminent drama critic, born in Louisville, Kentucky, studied under George Pierce Baker in the 47 Workshop at Harvard University, where he graduated in 1923. In 1925, Brown became the first-string critic for THEATRE ARTS, then for the New York Post (1929-1941), and the World-Telegram (1941).

   His Post story on Mae West (25 March 1933) illustrates the clever use of allusions that characterizes his writing. He noted that West's characters conquer too easily: "One slight roll of her Police Gazette figure, four measured tosses of her unholy head, and every man for miles around is supposed to be hers." After war reporting until 1944, he wrote a theatre column for the Saturday Evening Post. He taught college courses at the University of Montana and Yale University among others, lectured widely, and wrote a dozen books, most of them on theatre.