PATTERSON McNUTT, the younger brother, made his way by his own efforts, in a career almost as varied, to high rank as a playwright, producer, screen writer, and contributor of stories to the Saturday Evening Post. After his childhood in Urbana he was educated at Valparaiso University in Indiana. Attracted like his brother to the stage, he played a juvenile role with Otis Skinner in "Mister Antonio." In the first World War he served two years with Section 511 of the United States Ambulance Corps with the French armies. With that behind him, he worked in the drama department of the New York Sun; then as theatrical press agent for a while, until he became motion picture editor of the New York Globe. His next move was to the World as a sports writer.
This completed his experience as a newspaper man. In 1924 he collaborated with Anne Morrison in writing "Pigs," which was produced in New York by John Golden. In the following year he produced "The Poor Nut," a play by J.C. and Elliott Nugent, with was staged by Howard Lindsay. His next venture was a revival of Ibsen's "Ghosts," starring Minnie Madden Fiske, with Charles Coburn as co-producer. His next production was "Cloudy With Showers" in 1931. Thomas Mitchell was the leading man, and the producer had a small part for himself. Following came the production of a revival of Noel Coward's play, "Hay Fever," with Constance Collier as star.
That seems to have ended his activities as Broadway producer. The deepening Depression may have had something to do with his going to Hollywood in 1934, where he began a new career as a screen writer. He collaborated on "Curly Top," starring Shirley Temple; "Spring Tonic," "Way Down East," "The Gay Deception," "Everybody's Old Man," "The Return of Sophie Lang," and "Vacation from Love."
from "A Minister and His Sons" in The McNauchtan Saga
by V.V. McNitt, privately published, 1951.