John McCarten (September 10, 1911,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – September 25, 1974,New York City) was an American writer who contributed about 1,000 pieces forThe New Yorker, serving as the magazine's film critic from 1945 to 1960 andBroadway theatre critic from 1960 to 1967.[1][2]
McCarten was born in Philadelphia into an Irish-American family. After serving in theMerchant Marine, he started writing forAmerican Mercury,Fortune, andTime during the 1930s.[1]
In 1934, he joinedThe New Yorker and began contributing satirical short stories and irreverent profiles.[1][2] He became the magazine's regular film critic in 1945, employing a writing style that tended to be terse and was often condescending.[2][3] He gained a reputation as something of a nemesis ofAlfred Hitchcock in particular, whose films McCarten regularly panned.[4] The screenplay for the 1956 British romantic comedy filmThe Silken Affair was adapted from an idea by McCarten.[5]
In 1960, McCarten switched to theatre criticism, where he was no less tough; on one occasion, theatrical producerDavid Merrick had McCarten barred from the opening night ofDo Re Mi.[2]
In July 1967, McCarten suddenly quit reviewing and moved toIreland.[1] The following year, he submitted the first of his "Irish Sketches", a series of light pieces about Irish art and culture that ran inThe New Yorker between February 24, 1968, and November 20, 1971.[1]
John McCarten died of cancer at the age of 63. He married three times and had two sons.[1][2] His obituary inThe New Yorker remembered him as "a witty writer, whose sharpest weapon was mockery. Yet, given the force of the opinions he would pronounce in conversation, one marveled to observe his comparative gentleness in print. For, much as he might deplore certain human failings, he could never bear to injure those who embodied them. He learned to tell the truth about people in such a way that, far from feeling savaged, they felt praised."[6]
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