COLTON, JOHN

(1886-1946)

Born in Japan, the son of an English diplomat began his professional career as theMinneapolis Tribunedrama critic before turning to playwriting. Colton's first play,Drifting(1922), written with D. H. Andrews, focused on the life of a prostitute, as did his first major hit,Rain(1922), adapted with Clemence Randolph fromW. SomersetMaugham's story.Jeanne Eagelsscored a personal success playing the tawdry heroine, Sadie Thompson.Rainbecame one of the most popular plays of the era and was made into a motion picture several times. Colton'sThe Shanghai Gesture(1926) was also a popular success, but his later plays,Saint WenchandNine Pine Street, both in 1933, failed.