playwright He was the author of numerous plays, including A Fool There Was (1909), which was adapted for film twice, in 1915 and 1922; The Spendthrift (1910); Chains (1912); and The Bad Man (1920), adapted for film three times, in 1923, 1930 and 1941.
PORTER EMERSON BROWNE was born June 22, 1879, in Beverly, MA. [This date is from the WWI registration draft card he filled out.] Although he started his career as a journalist for the Brooklyn Standard Union, his colorful career reportedly included serving as secretary to Pancho Villa and speech writer for Theodore Roosevelt. Though he published at least 8 books and 60 some short stories, today he is primarily remembered as a dramatist. Among his most famous plays were A Fool There Was (1909), The Spendthrift (1910), and The Bad Man (1920). He died, at the age of 55, in Norwalk, CT, on September 20, 1934.
(1909) Stage Play: A Fool There Was. Written by Porter Emerson Browne. Directed by George F. Marion. Liberty Theatre: 24 Mar 1909- Jun 1909 (closing date unknown/93 performances). Cast: Frances Barber (as “Ship Passenger”), Edwin Barbour (as “Ship’s Captain”), R.J. Barker (as “Ship’s Doctor”), John Bascombe (as “Ship Passenger”), Ethel Bell (as “Ship Passenger”), Frank Brody (as “Ship Passenger”), Eleanor Carlyle (as “Ship Passenger”), Phyllis Carrington (as “Ship Passenger”), George Clare (as “Butler”), Ted Clare (as “Ship Passenger”), Mae Clarke (as “Ship Passenger”), C. Coleman (as “Second Passenger”), W. Coleman (as “Ship Passenger”), Nannette Comstock (as “The Wife”), William Connolly (as “Ship Passenger”), Edna Conroy (as “The Sister”), William Courtleigh (as “The Friend”), Ida Desmond (as “Ship Passenger”), Fred Gibler (as “Ship Passenger”), John Guirand (as “Deck Steward”), Harry H. Hart (as “Petty Officer”), Robert Hilliard (as “The Husband”), Howard Hull (as “Young Parmalee”), Victor Johns (as “Ship Passenger”), L.R. Johnson (as “Messenger”), Katherine Kaelred (as “The Woman”), Thomas King (as “Sailor”), Seymour Lawrence (as “Ship Passenger”), Ed Mallon (as “Deck Steward”), Miss Eugene Martin (as “Ship Passenger”), Fred Nicolls (as “Deck Steward”), Grace Noble (as “Ship Passenger”), Louis Palmer (as “Deck Steward”), Janet Pierce (as “Ship Passenger”), Amy Retar (as “Ship Passenger”), Albert R. Richman (as “Ship Passenger”), Arthur Row (as “First Passenger”), James Rowe (as “Ship Passenger”), Charles Seivert (as “Sailor”), Wallace Sharpe (as “Ship Passenger”), George Spelvin (as “The Voice”), Helen Taylor (as “Ship Passenger”), Frank Taylor (as “Boy Ship Passenger”), S.K. Walker (as “The Secretary”), Alfred Wendel (as “Ship Passenger”), Herbert Williams (as “Ship Passenger”), Emily Wurster (as “The Child”). Produced by Frederic Thompson. Note: Filmed as A Fool There Was (1915).
(3/3/23-5/23) Stage: Wrote “The Bad Man,” performed at the New Theatre in London, England, with Matheson Lang, Florence Saunders, W. Boyd Davis, Alfred Drayton, Clifton Boyne and H.O. Nicholson in the cast. NOTE: Filmed as The Bad Man (1923), The Bad Man (1930). (1920) Stage Play: The Bad Man. Comedy/satire. Written by Porter Emerson Browne [final Broadway credit]. Directed by Lester Lonergan. Comedy Theatre: 30 Aug 1920- Jun 1921 (closing date unknown/342 performances). Cast: James H. Bell (as “Venustiano”), Frank Bixby (as “A Mexican Cook”), Holbrook Blinn (as “Pancho Lopez”), Frances Carson (as “Lucia Pell”), Chief Whitehawk (as “Alvarado”), Frank Conroy (as “Gilbert Jones”), James A. Devine (as “Henry Smith”), Charles Gibney (as “Bradley”), John Harrington (as “Red Giddings”), Herbert Heywood (as “Pedro”), Edna Hibbard (as “Angela Hardy”), Indian Joe (as “Felip”), James B. Lenhart (as “Blake”), Wilson Reynolds (as “Jasper Hardy”), Fred Tiden [credited as Fred L. Tiden] (as “Morgan Pel”). Produced by William H. Harris Jr. Note: Filmed by Edwin Carewe Productions [distributed by Associated First National Pictures] as The Bad Man (1923), by First National Pictures [as a First National-Vitaphone Picture, controlled by Warner Bros.] as The Bad Man (1930), and by MGM as The Bad Man (1941) as a Wallace Beery vehicle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_Emerson_Browne
http://www.isfdb.org/wiki/index.php/Bio:Porter_Emerson_Browne
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0115063/otherworks?ref_=nm_pdt_wrk_sm
Boats Against the Current 