Paul Meredith Potter (June 3, 1853 – March 7, 1921) was an American playwright and journalist, best known for adapting the popular novel ''

Trilby A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat. The trilby was once viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is sometimes called the "brown trilby" in UK, BritainBernhard Roetzel, Roetzel, Bernhard (1999). ''Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style''. B ...

'' into a

stage play A play is a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than mere reading. The creator of a play is known as a playwright. Plays are staged at various levels, ranging ...

.(8 March 1921)
Paul M. Potter, Playwright, Dead: Dramatist of "Trilby" Stricken in His Room in Murray Hill Baths in His 68th Year
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''(8 March 1921)
Paul M. Potter, Author of Many Dramas, Is Dead
''

New York Tribune The ''New-York Tribune'' (from 1914: ''New York Tribune'') was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s ...

''(8 March 1921)
Paul M. Potter is Found Dead In Bed
''

New York Herald The ''New York Herald'' was a large-distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between 1835 and 1924. At that point it was acquired by its smaller rival the '' New-York Tribune'' to form the '' New York Herald Tribune''. Hi ...

'' Potter was born Walter Arthur McLean in

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

in 1853. His father was headmaster of King Edward's School in Bath. He adopted the name Paul Potter after traveling to India upon graduating from school. He became the foreign editor for the ''

'' in 1876, and later their London correspondent. In 1885 he became the ''Heralds drama critic, and in 1888, he left the ''Herald'' to join the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

''. Potter's first play was '' The City Directory'' (1889), following by a string of additional plays, including the adaptation of ''Trilby''.

Partial bibliography

* '' The City Directory'' (1889) * ''The Ugly Duckling'' (1890) (featured Broadway debut of Mrs. Leslie Carter)(1 June 1890)
Among the Playhouses
''Sunday Herald'' (Washington, D.C.) * ''The World's Fair'' (1891) * ''The American Minister'' (1892) (for William H. Crane) * ''Sheridan, or the Maid of Bath'' (1893) (for

E. H. Sothern Edward Hugh Sothern (December 6, 1859 – October 28, 1933) was an American actor who specialized in dashing, romantic leading roles and particularly in William Shakespeare, Shakespeare roles. Biography Sothern was born in New Orleans, Louisian ...

) * ''Our Country Cousins'' (1893)(3 June 1907)
This is my 54th Birthday
''Lewiston Evening Teller'' * ''The Victoria Cross'' (1894) * ''The Pacific Mail'' (1894)(28 October 1894)

''

'' * ''

'' (1895) * ''The Stag Party'' (1895) (co-written with humorist

Bill Nye William Sanford Nye (; born November 27, 1955) is an American science communicator, television presenter, and former mechanical engineer. He is best known as the host of the science education television show '' Bill Nye the Science Guy'' (1 ...

) * ''The Conquerors'' (1898) * '' Under Two Flags'' (1901) (based on 1867 novel) * ''The Red Kloof'' (1901) * ''Notre Dame'' (1902) * ''

The School Girl ''The School Girl'' is an Edwardian musical comedy, in two acts, composed by Leslie Stuart (with additional songs by Paul Rubens (composer), Paul Rubens) with a book by Henry Hamilton (playwright), Henry Hamilton and Paul M. Potter, and lyrics b ...

'' (1903) * ''Nancy Stair'' (1905) (based on

Elinor Macartney Lane Elinor Macartney Lane (1864 – March 15, 1909) was an American novelist who was popular in the first decade of the 1900s. After publishing a number of short stories, she wrote three novels: ''Mills of God'' (1901),(17 August 1901)A Woman's Fi ...

novel) * ''Barbara's Millions'' (1906) * ''The Honor of the Family'' (1908) * ''The Queen of the Moulin Rouge'' (1908)(5 January 1909)
Stage Morality on the Wane
''The Evening Times'' * ''

The Girl from Rector's ''The Girl from Rector's'' is a play written by Paul M. Potter. The play is a sex farce involving several couples in a tangle of adulterous affairs, and was considered indecent by many critics, as well as some government officials who censored ...

'' (1909) (with Henry Hamilton) * ''Arsene Lupin'' (adaptation, see

Arsène Lupin Arsène Lupin () is a fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise created in 1905 by French writer Maurice Leblanc. The character was first introduced in a series of short stories serialized in the magazine '' Je sais tout''. The first ...

) * ''Israel''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Potter, Paul M. 1853 births 1921 deaths 19th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights