George Barr McCutcheon
American writer (1866–1928)

George Barr McCutcheon (July 26, 1866 – October 23, 1928) was an American novelist and playwright. His best known works include a series of novels set in Graustark, a fictional East European country, and the novel Brewster's Millions, which was adapted into a play and several films.
Life
McCutcheon was born in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Despite having no formal education himself, his father emphasized the importance of literature and urged his sons to write. During McCutcheon's childhood, his father had a number of jobs that required travel around the county. McCutcheon studied at Purdue University and was a roommate of future humorist George Ade. During his college years, he was editor of the newspaper Lafayette Daily Courier and wrote a serial novel of satire about Wabash River life.
He was the older brother of noted cartoonist John T. McCutcheon and died in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
McCutcheon, along with a number of other Indiana authors of the same period, is considered to be part of the Golden Age of Indiana Literature.
Selected bibliography
Graustark novels
Graustark: The Story of a Love Behind a Throne (1901), ISBN 1-4043-5098-5
Beverly of Graustark (1904), ISBN 1-4179-3249-X
Truxton King: A Story of Graustark (1909), ISBN 1-4179-0333-3
The Prince of Graustark (1914), ISBN 1-4179-4103-0
East of the Setting Sun (1924), ISBN 1-4179-1787-3
The Inn of the Hawk and the Raven (1927)
Other novels
Plays
Brood House (1910)
Mary Midthorne (1911)
One Score and Ten; A Comedy in Four Acts (1919)
Filmography
Brewster's Millions (dir.
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