Clayton Meeker Hamilton (November 14, 1881 – September 17, 1946) was an American

drama critic A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or governmen ...

Early years

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 The New York University Tandon School of Engineering (commonly referred to as Tandon) is the engineering and applied sciences school of New York University. Tandon is the second oldest private engineering and technology school in the United Sta ...

in 1900 and from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

(

M. A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

) in 1901.

Career

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 Forum or The Forum (plural forums or fora) may refer to: Common uses * Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example *Internet ...

'' in 1907–09, and as dramatic editor of the '' Bookman'' after 1910, of ''

Everybody's Magazine ''Everybody's Magazine'' was an American magazine published from 1899 to 1929. The magazine was headquartered in New York City. History and profile The magazine was founded by Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker in 1899, though he had little role ...

'' after 1911, and of ''

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

'' after 1912. He was elected a member of The National Institute of Arts and Letters. He edited Stevenson's ''

Treasure Island ''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure no ...

'' for " Longman's English Classics" in 1910; contributed to the

New International Encyclopedia ''The New International Encyclopedia'' was an American encyclopedia first published in 1902 by Dodd, Mead and Company. It descended from the ''International Cyclopaedia'' (1884) and was updated in 1906, 1914 and 1926. History ''The New Intern ...

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 ''Brownstone Theater'' is an old-time radio dramatic anthology series in the United States. It was broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System February 21, 1945 – September 23, 1945. Format ''Brownstone Theater'' featured adaptations of stories ...

'', a dramatic anthology radio series on the

Mutual Broadcasting System The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the Old-time radio, golden ...

Personal life

In 1913, Hamilton married Gladys Coates. They had two children.

Death

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.

Papers

The

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

is home to the Clayton Meeker Hamilton papers, which include "his correspondence (personal and professional), diaries, lectures, plays, poetry, speeches, contracts and miscellaneous papers from 1899-1946."

Public domain works available

Problems of the actor. With an introd. by Clayton Hamilton (1918)

A thousand years ago; a romance of the Orient, with an introd. by Clayton Hamilton (1914)

The Theory of the Theatre

Problems of the Playwright (1917)

Studies in stagecraft (1914)

Materials and methods of fiction (1908)

Seen on the stage (1920)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Clayton 1881 births American theater critics Columbia University alumni Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Musicians from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute of New York University alumni 1946 deaths ja:クレイトン・ハミルトン