Jon Krampner (born in 1952 inNew York City) is an Americanjournalist and author ofbiographies,popular history andshort stories.
Krampner's first book,The Man in the Shadows: Fred Coe and the Golden Age of Television, a biography of television producerFred Coe, was published in 1997. A second,Female Brando: The Legend of Kim Stanley, followed in 2006 and charted the life of theBroadway actressKim Stanley. His third book,Creamy and Crunchy: An Informal History of Peanut Butter, the All-American Food was published in 2012. The book is a popular history ofpeanut butter.
His most recent book isErnest Lehman: The Sweet Smell of Success (2022), published by the University Press of Kentucky.Ernest Lehman was the screenwriter of films such asSomebody Up There Likes Me,Sweet Smell of Success,North By Northwest,West Side Story,The Sound of Music, andWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Krampner is also the author of short stories, includingThe Provence Lane Haunting (2002),The Mazeroski Blues (2016), andWhy I Built My House the Way I Did (2017).
Krampner’s collected papers, consisting of research notes, interview transcripts and audiotapes and general material, are held in the special collections department of the Heard Library atVanderbilt University inNashville, Tennessee.
In its review ofThe Man in the Shadows,Publishers Weekly wrote, "Krampner weaves Coe’s story with solid writing, subtle humor and a slavish devotion to detail."[1]Time called it "engrossing"[2] andTV Guide, "valuable."[3]
Female Brando was described byTalkin’ Broadway as "a must-read for anyone interested in actors and the Golden Age of American Theatre. It is well researched, [...] includes extensive and detailed notes, and is generally fascinating.”[4]The New Yorker said it was "crucial",[5] whileKirkus Reviews said it presented "a steadily turning kaleidoscope of vivid, unsettling images."[6]
The New Yorker also praisedCreamy and Crunchy, calling it “enjoyable and informative”.[7]Harvard Business Review described it as "scholarly, yet charming and entertaining."[8]
