1899-1973. English playwright, actor,
producer, director, and composer, who
epitomized the witty and sophisticated man of
the theatre. From his first success with The
Young Idea 1923, he wrote and appeared in
plays and comedies on both sides of the
Atlantic such as Hay Fever 1925, Private
Lives 1930 with Gertrude Lawrence, Design for
Living 1933, and Blithe Spirit 1941. Coward
also wrote for and acted in films, including
the patriotic In Which We Serve 1942 and the
sentimental Brief Encounter 1945. After World
War II he became a nightclub and cabaret
entertainer, performing songs like `Mad Dogs
and Englishmen'.