Gassner, John, 1903-1967

John Gassner was born in Marajaros-Sziget, Hungary in 1903, and emigrated to the United States in 1911. He received an A.B. (1924) and M.A. (1925) from Columbia University. He began his career as a book reviewer for the New York Herald Tribune (1926-1928), and was play editor and chairman of the play department of the Theater Guild (1931-1944). Gassner taught dramatic criticism and playwriting at colleges and universities including Hunter College, Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Queens College, and the New School for Social Research. In 1956 he joined the faculty of the Yale School of Drama as the Sterling Professor of Playwriting, a position he held until his death. Gassner was drama critic for publications including New Theatre Magazine, The Forum, and Time. He authored and edited numerous publications including Form and Idea in Modern Theater and Treasury of the Theatre. Gassner died in 1967.

John Gassner was born in Marajaros-Sziget, Hungary in 1903, and emigrated to the United States in 1911. He received an A.B. (1924) and M.A. (1925) from Columbia University. He began his career as a book reviewer for the New York Herald Tribune (1926-1928), and was play editor and chairman of the play department of the Theater Guild (1931-1944). Gassner taught dramatic criticism and playwriting at colleges and universities including Hunter College, Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Queens College, and the New School for Social Research. In 1956 he joined the faculty of the Yale School of Drama as the Sterling Professor of Playwriting, a position he held until his death. Gassner was drama critic for publications including New Theatre Magazine, The Forum, and Time . He authored and edited numerous publications including Form and Idea in Modern Theater and Treasury of the Theatre . Gassner died in 1967.

John Gassner was born in Marajaros-Sziget, Hungary on January 30, 1903, and emigrated to the United States with his family when he was eight years old. He received an A.B. (1924) and M.A. (1925) from Columbia University, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Gassner began his career as a book reviewer for the New York Herald-Tribune, a position he held from 1926 to 1928. From 1931 to 1944 he was play editor and chairman of the play department of the Theater guild. He adopted Emil Ludwig's Versailles, and with Worthington Minor prepared the acting version of Stefan Zweik's Jeremiah for the Theater Guild. With Theresa Helburn he conducted the Bureau of New Plays from 1938 to 1942, which helped to discover and give scholarships to new American playwrights.

During his career Gassner taught dramatic criticism and playwriting at colleges and universities including Hunter College, Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Queens College and the New School for Social Research. In 1956 he joined the faculty of the Yale School of Drama as the Sterling Professor of Playwriting, a position he held until his death.

Gassner was drama critic for publications including New Theatre Magazine, The Forum, Time, and Educational Theatre Journal . A prolific writer, he authored Theater at the Crossroads, Producing the Play, Form and Idea in Modern Theater, Masters of the Drama, and Directions in Modern Theater and Drama . Gassner also edited numerous play anthologies including Treasury of the Theatre and Best American Plays . He was a contributing editor of Theatre Arts and advising editor of Tulane Drama Review and Enciclopedia dello Spectacolo .

Gassner was a member of the New York Drama Critics Circle and the Outer Circle, for which he served as president. From 1957, until his resignation in 1963, Gassner was a member of the Pulitzer Prize committee. He received many honors during his career including an honorary M.A. from Yale University in 1956 and the American Educational Theater Award in 1959.

In 1926 Gassner married Mollie Kern; they had one daughter, Caroline. He died in New Haven, Connecticut, on April 3, 1967.