Jack Kroll
John Kroll (ca. 1926 – June 8, 2000) was an American drama and film critic. His career at Newsweek spanned 37 years—more than half the publication's existence.
For the labor leader, see Jack Kroll (labor). For the baseball coach, see Jack Krol.
Jack Kroll
c. 1926
June 8, 2000 (aged 73–74)
drama and film critic
1963–2000
Newsweek articles
19 Newsweek cover stories
- Lester Kroll (radio personality) (father)
Biography[edit]
Kroll was born in Manhattan. His mother was an Earl Carroll showgirl and his father, Lester Kroll, was a radio personality with the radio name "John J. Anthony" ("Mr. Anthony") on the long-running radio program The Goodwill Hour. Lester took this pseudonym from his two sons' given names: John (Jack) and Anthony.[1]
Kroll spent two years in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He later attended City College of New York, graduating in 1954. He also earned a master's degree in English and comparative literature. A skilled writer adept at several forms of journalism, he joined Newsweek as an associate arts editor in 1963. He ultimately became senior editor in charge of all cultural sections (1964), drama critic (1967), and critic-at-large (1975). Over his career with the magazine (1963–2000), he was responsible for 19 cover stories and over 1,200 articles.
His last cover story was the December 14, 1998, piece on Nicole Kidman's Broadway debut in The Blue Room. He died of colon cancer at New York University Medical Center at age 74.[2]