Timeline
Title
Country/Nationality
Clayton Hamilton
Clayton Meeker Hamilton was an American drama critic.
Born in Brooklyn, N. Y., Hamilton was the son of George Alexander Hamilton and Susie Ameila Corey Hamilton. He graduated from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1900 and from Columbia University (M. A.) in 1901.
He was extension lecturer on the drama at Columbia University after 1903, and lectured in other connections. He served as dramatic critic and associate editor of the Forum in 1907–09, and as dramatic editor of the Bookman after 1910, of Everybody's Magazine after 1911, and of Vogue after 1912. He was elected a member of The National Institute of Arts and Letters. He edited Stevenson's Treasure Island for "Longman's English Classics" in 1910; contributed to the New International Encyclopedia and is author of Love That Blinds (1906), with Grace Isabel Colbron; Materials and Methods of Fiction (1908); The Theory of the Theatre (1910); The Stranger at the Inn (1913); Studies in Stagecraft (1914); and, with A. E. Thomas, a play, The Big Idea (1914).
In 1945, Hamilton was the host and narrator on Brownstone Theater, a dramatic anthology radio series on the Mutual Broadcasting System.
In 1913, Hamilton married Gladys Coates. They had two children.
Hamilton died of a heart attack in New York on September 17, 1946. He was survived by his wife and sons Gordon C. Hamilton and Donald C. Hamilton.
Books by Clayton Hamilton
Studies in Stagecraft
A companion piece to Hamilton's earlier work, The Theory of the Theatre. Where that volume dealt with the criticism of dramatic art in general, this volume focuses more specifically on the contemporary drama of the era in which it was written.
Problems of the Playwright
It is a comprehensive guidebook for playwrights that delves into the most common issues that arise when writing a play. Written by Clayton Hamilton, a prominent American drama critic, the book was first published in 1924 and has since become a classi...
Seen on the Stage
It is an intriguing and captivating book that takes readers on a journey into the world of theater. This book offers a fascinating exploration of various stage performances. In "Seen on the Stage," Clayton Hamilton shares his insightful observations...
Theory of the Theatre, and Other Principles of Dramatic Criticism
An influential work of early 20th century theater criticism, 'Theory of the Theatre' explores the fundamental principles of dramatic art. Through a series of essays, Hamilton examines the nature of drama, the role of the playwright, the importance of...