Born November 8, 1914, in New York, New York; died of lymphoma, November 12,1995, in Washington, DC. Critic. Richard L. Coe was "one of the most influential theater critics outside New York City," declared New York Times writer Mary B. W. Tabor. Coe served the Washington Post as a drama critic from 1938 to1979. During World War II, he worked as writer and editor for the armed forces' newspaper Stars & Stripes while serving in the United States Army AirCorps. Coe was recognized as a positive critic and one whose comments were solicited by directors seeking to improve their works. Among the shows that benefitted from his criticism were the original productions of Hello, Dolly andCarnival. Coe, who also contributed to the New York Times and New Republic as well as to radio and television shows, was named Critic of the Year by theDirectors' Guild of America in 1963 and "Washingtonian of the Year" in 1980,both in recognition of his contributions. In 1980 the New Playwrights' Theater established an award in his honor.
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