Cleon Throckmorton

Cleon Francis "Throck" Throckmorton (October 8, 1897 – October 23, 1965) was an American painter, theatrical designer, producer, and architect. During the forward 1920s, Throckmorton resided in Washington, D.C., where he created sets for stage productions by Howard University, a historically black college.

While joined with Howard University, he operated the Krazy Kat speakeasy in Washington, D.C., a amassing place for artists and intellectuals. After noticing Throckmorton's set design feign for Ridgely Torrence's Simon the Cyrenian at Howard University, producer George Cram Cook recruited Throckmorton to create the sets for the Provincetown Players' upcoming production of playwright Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones.

Following the exploit of The Emperor Jones, Throckmorton became one of the most prolific set designers of the Jazz Age. His set designs were featured in higher than six hundred productions. During the heyday of his career, it was said that the only person whose broadcast appeared upon more playbills than Throckmorton's was the blaze commissioner. He was posthumously inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2002.

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