Norman Corwin

Norman Lewis Corwin (born May 3, 1910, in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American writer, screenwriter, producer, essayist and teacher of journalism and writing.

Related Topics:
May 3 - 1910 - Boston, Massachusetts - American - Screenwriter

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He is the son of Samuel and Rose Corwin. He was married, and has two children. Corwin was a major figure in during the Golden Age of Radio. During the 1940s and 1950s he was a writer, producer of many radio programs in many genres: history, biography, fantasy, fiction, poetry and drama. He was the writer and creator of series such as The Columbia Workshop, 13 By Corwin, 26 By Corwin, and others. He is currently a lecturer at the University of Southern California.

Related Topics:
Golden Age of Radio - 1940s - 1950s - University of Southern California

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Corwin has won the One World Award, two Peabody Medals, an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a duPont-Columbia Award; he was nominated for an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay for Lust for Life (1956) . Corwin was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993.

Related Topics:
One World Award - Peabody Medal - Emmy - Golden Globe - DuPont-Columbia Award - Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay - Lust for Life - 1956 - Radio Hall of Fame - 1993

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Corwin began his career as a newspaper journalist, working for the Greenfield Recorder and the Springfield Republican, and soon began to read news over WBZA, a radio station in Massachusetts. In 1936 Corwin moved to New York City, and created a program for independent station WQXR. In 1938, he began working for the CBS radio network. Before long, CBS scheduled Norman Corwin's Words Without Music, using a writer's name in a program title for the first time. On this series aired two of his more famous works, The Plot to Overthrow Christmas, a delightful fantasy in rhyme, and They Fly Through The Air, his impassioned reaction to the Spanish Civil War.

Related Topics:
1936 - New York City - CBS - Spanish Civil War

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In 1941 he was given the timeslot and resources of the Columbia Workshop program for a full six months, under the title '26 By Corwin,' which required him to conceive, write, cast, direct and produce a completely new play every seven days.

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His We Hold These Truths was first broadcast in December 15, 1941, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the United States Bill of Rights. Many radio and movie stars of the day were featured in this production, including an epilogue by American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. National Public Radio sponsored a new version of this program in 1991, for the bicentennial of the Bill of Rights.

Related Topics:
December 15 - 1941 - United States Bill of Rights - American President - Franklin Delano Roosevelt - National Public Radio - 1991 - Bicentennial

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His most famous work is On a Note of Triumph, first broadcast on VE Day, May 8, 1945. This work was a celebration of the Allied victory in Europe. Corwin wrote and directed two plays produced on Broadway, The Rivalry (1959) and The World of Carl Sandburg (1960). According to Ray Bradbury, Corwin was responsible for the eventual publication of Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles.

Related Topics:
May 8 - 1945 - Europe - 1959 - 1960 - Ray Bradbury - The Martian Chronicles

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In the 1980s Corwin was one of the writing teachers of J. Michael Straczynski, creator of the television series Babylon 5. Stracyzynski named a recurring character in the series, David Corwin, after Norman, and on the rec.arts.babylon5.moderated newsgroup, wrote a series of posts on Norman Corwin's work.

Related Topics:
1980s - J. Michael Straczynski - Babylon 5 - Newsgroup

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