John M. Crowther (March 3, 1939 – April 27, 2018) was an American artist and writer known for the cartoons he produced for Mad magazine, oil portraits, and his writing for television and film.Crowther was born to Florence and Bosley Crowther, a film critic for The New York Times. In 1957, he graduated from the George School of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, followed by Princeton in 1961. He studied art and theater in school, and had two successful performances on Broadway. His father's interest in Italian foreign films led him to furthering acting in Italy. In total he is credited with writing nine movies and television series; and at least six books. Outside of writing, Crowther performed in his biographical one-man shows that toured the United States called Einstein: A Stage Portrait.and taught painting with his wife in Tuscany, Italy.He was a member of the Portrait Society of America.