himan brown

Himan Brown was one of the most respected figures in radio history. He started in radio by reading poetry in front of a microphone while a student at the City College of New York.

After briefly trying his hand at acting, Brown decided to concentrate on producing and directing. He became a one-man organization who would create ideas, outline themes, help with the writing, sell the concept to the sponsors and then cast and direct the productions.

In 1933, he produced and directed Marie, The Little French Princess, CBS radio’s first daytime soap opera. Brown also secured the radio rights for several popular comic strips. One of those series, 1935’s Flash Gordon, starred Radio Hall of Fame actor Gale Gordon in the title role.

Brown is perhaps best-known as the creator, producer and director of Inner Sanctum Mysteries. He was also responsible for producing or directing The Adventures of the Thin Man, Bulldog Drummond, Grand Central Station and numerous other series.

Throughout his life, Brown has actively campaigned to keep radio drama alive in America. From 1974 to 1982, he produced and directed the Peabody Award-winning CBS Radio Mystery Theater.

Himan Brown was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.