Charles Norris Houghton (26 December 1909 – 9 October 2001) was an American theatre visionary whose career spanned seven decades. Credited with over 50 theatre productions, he was stage manager, scenic designer, producer, director, theatre manager, academician, author, and public policy advocate: these myriad roles reflect his chosen life as a "generalist," a multifaceted "theatre man." Houghton is known for accomplishments that reflect this span: as the premier American expert of 20th-century Russian Theatre; as a major force in creating the "off-Broadway" movement; as a student and educator of global theater; and as an influential advocate of arts education.