Born Alfred J. Cohen in Birmingham, England, in 1861, Alan Dale established himself as a prominent and formidable voice in theatrical journalism during the late Victorian and early twentieth-century eras. After immigrating to New York in 1887, he adopted his pen name and began a prolific career as a drama critic. He wrote for several major metropolitan publications, including the New York Evening World, the New York Journal, and the New York American.
Dale became notorious for his caustic and uncompromising reviews. While his sharp, often negative critiques drew the ire of the theatrical community, they proved highly popular with the public, significantly boosting the circulation of William Randolph Hearst's newspapers. Beyond his work as a critic, Dale also contributed to the literary and theatrical worlds as a playwright and book author, though his legacy remains closely tied to his influential and feared position in the press.
Dale was married to Carrie Livingston Frost, with whom he had two daughters. In his later years, he suffered from health problems that required multiple operations. He passed away in May 1928 while traveling by train from Plymouth to Birmingham in his native England.
