John Fletcher (playwright)

John Fletcher
BornDecember 1579
Rye, Sussex
DiedAugust 1625 (aged 45)
London, England
OccupationWriter
NationalityEnglish
PeriodJacobean era
GenreDrama

John Fletcher (December 1579 – August 1625) was an English playwright. Following William Shakespeare as house playwright for the King's Men, he was among the most prolific and influential dramatists of his day; during his lifetime and in the Stuart Restoration, his fame rivalled Shakespeare's. Fletcher collaborated in writing plays, chiefly with Francis Beaumont or Philip Massinger, but also with Shakespeare and others.

Although his reputation has subsequently declined, he remains an important transitional figure between the Elizabethan popular tradition and the popular drama of the Restoration.