Brian Hooker

William Brian Hooker was born in New York City on November 2, 1880, and became known as an American poet, educator, lyricist, and librettist. He studied at Yale and later taught English at both Columbia and Yale, building a career that connected academic life with creative writing.

His work ranged across poetry, plays, novels, lyrics, and librettos, but he is best known for his 1923 English adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac. He also co-wrote the book and lyrics for the 1925 operetta The Vagabond King, a success that helped fix his name in American theater history.

Hooker died on December 28, 1946, in New London, Connecticut. Today he is remembered as a versatile man of letters whose career bridged literature, music, and the stage.