Gustav Frederik Esmann (August 17, 1860 – September 4, 1904) was a Danish journalist, author, scriptwriter, and master of ceremonies.

[1][2] Esmann was among those who joined Herman Bang's circle, and in the 1880s he attracted attention as a feature writer in the newspapers.

He made his debut as an author in 1885 with Gammel Gæld (Old Debt),[3] two short stories written in a blasé and ironic tone, and he wrote a dozen plays that were noted for their great technical stage finesse, including Den kjære Familje (The Dear Family, 1892)[3] and Alexander den Store (Alexander the Great, 1900).

In his lifestyle, Esmann was a typical representative of the "Copenhagen boulevard intelligentsia.

"[4] On September 4, 1904, Esmann was shot and killed at a hotel in Copenhagen by his mistress Karen Hammerich (1875–1904).