James Forbes was a respected playwright in the 1920s, but his work has long been neglected and forgotten, as commercial light comedy rarely weathers cultural climate change. However, his 1919 play

The Famous Mrs. Fair

preserves a fascinating glimpse into the attitude adjustments required of both men and women in the wake of American participation in the Great War along with the massive entry of women into the workforce.

James Grant Forbes was born on 2 September 1871 in Salem, Ontario, Canada, the son of James Reid and Clementina (Erskine) Forbes. Following his studies at Collegiate Institute in Galt, Ontario, he came to the United States in his teens and became a naturalized citizen at twenty-one. His early career comprised two seasons (1894-96) as an actor in Chicago, stints as drama

2084 words

Citation: Londre, Felicia Hardison. "James Forbes". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 November 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12647, accessed 19 March 2024.]

12647 James Forbes 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

Save this article

If you need to create a new bookshelf to save this article in, please make sure that you are logged in, then go to your 'Account' here

Leave Feedback

The Literary Encyclopedia is a living community of scholars. We welcome comments which will help us improve.