S.N. Behrman on AllMovie

Born to a wealthy Massachusetts family, S. N. Behrmann received a class-A education at Harvard and Columbia. Erudite and well read, Behrmann chose playwrighting as his profession, distinguishing himself with his gift for witty, pithy dialogue. He was a particular favorite of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, for whom he fashioned several vehicles. Usually working in collaboration in his formative years, Behrmann's first solo effort was 1927's The Second Man; his subsequent Broadway successes included Serena Blandish, End of Summer and No Time for Comedy. Proficient in several languages, Behrmann penned the English adaptations of such European plays as Jean Girardoux's Amphytryon 38, Ludwig Fulda's The Pirate and Frank Werfel's Jacobowsky and the Colonel. In 1938, Behrmann, in concert with Maxwell Anderson, Robert E. Sherwood and Elmer Rice, organized the Playwright's Company. Active in Hollywood from 1930 through 1941, Behrmann contributed to a number of Greta Garbo vehicles, notably Queen Christina (1933) and Anna Karenina (1935). After completing his final stage presentation, 1964's Blues for Mr. Charlie, S. N. Behrmann concentrated his talents upon novels and biographies; his last published work was the 1972 memoir, People in a Diary.