MacArthur, Charles (1895-1956)

US playwright, screenwriter, and film director. After working as a reporter, he collaborated with Ben Hecht on the classic newspaper play, Front Page (1928), and then on Twentieth Century (1932), both of which were Broadway hits. He went on to write, alone or in collaboration, several other popular plays and screenplays, usually sophisticated comedies. He codirected several films with Hecht. MacArthur was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. His wife was actor Helen Hayes.