Charles MacArthur

Charles MacArthur was an American journalist and writer. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania and moved to Chicago after graduating high school. He became a reporter for the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Daily News newspapers, experiences which would later directly influence his work. During the 1920s, his witty and charming writing style made him one of the most renowned reporters in Chicago.

MacArthur frequently collaborated with friend and fellow Chicago journalist Ben Hecht. Their play, The Front Page, is based on their experiences as newspaper reporters in Chicago and had a successful Broadway run. The also wrote the musical farce Jumbo together. In addition to plays, MacArthur wrote more than 20 screenplays. He died in 1956 and was posthumously inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1983.