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Norman Corwin

Norman Lewis Corwin (May 3, 1910 – October 18, 2011) was an American writer, screenwriter, producer, essayist and teacher of journalism and writing. His earliest and biggest successes were in the writing and directing of radio drama during the 1930s and 1940s.

Corwin was among the first producers to regularly use entertainment—even light entertainment—to tackle serious social issues. In this area, he was a peer of Orson Welles and William N. Robson, and an inspiration to other later radio/TV writers such as Rod Serling, Gene Roddenberry, Norman Lear, J. Michael Straczynski and Yuri Rasovsky.

He was the son of Samuel and Rose Corwin and was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Corwin was a major figure during the Golden Age of Radio. During the 1930s and 1940s he was a writer and producer of many radio programs in many genres: history, biography, fantasy, fiction, poetry and drama. He was the writer and creator of series such as The Columbia Workshop, 13 By Corwin, 26 By Corwin and others. He was a lecturer at the University of Southern California.

Corwin won a One World Award, two Peabody Medals, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a duPont-Columbia Award; he was nominated for an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay for Lust for Life (1956). On May 12, 1990, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Lincoln College. In 1996, he received the Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa from California Lutheran University. Corwin was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1993.

A documentary film on Corwin's life, A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin, won an Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Feature) in 2006. Les Guthman's feature documentary on Mr. Corwin's career, Corwin aired on PBS in the 1990s. He was inducted into the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters Diamond Circle in 1994.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 3, 1910 (Boston), Died October 18, 2011 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1939 - 1944

Roles Represented in DAHR: director, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-036886 10-in. 5/11/1939 Daniel The Koralites Dramatic scene arranger  
Victor BS-036891 10-in. 5/11/1939 The pobble The Koralites Dramatic scene arranger  
Decca 71967 4/10/1944 The lonesome train: Part 3 Burl Ives director  
Decca 71968 4/10/1944 The lonesome train: Part 6 Burl Ives director  
Decca 71969 4/10/1944 The lonesome train: Part 1 Burl Ives director  
Decca 71970 4/10/1944 The lonesome train: Part 2 Burl Ives director  
Decca 71971 4/10/1944 The lonesome train: Part 4 Burl Ives director  
Decca 71972 4/10/1944 The lonesome train: Part 5 Burl Ives director  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Corwin, Norman," accessed March 31, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101936.

Corwin, Norman. (2023). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101936.

"Corwin, Norman." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. Web. 31 March 2023.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101936

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