John Hackman Sumner, CBE, AO (27 May 1924 – 24 May 2013) was an English-born director and producer and theatre impresario, who was the founder and artistic director of Melbourne Theatre Company in Australia, gathering a group of later internationally famous stars including Ray Lawler, Zoe Caldwell, Barry Humphries and Fred Parslow.
He served in the British Merchant Navy in World War II before commencing his career in theatre in 1947 in Dundee, Scotland as assistant stage manager.
He later became stage director and manager with H. M. Tennent Theatres in the west end of London before emigrating to Australia in 1952.
[3] After a short time in Sydney managing the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust he returned to Melbourne and resumed his role as artistic director in 1959, continuing until 1987.
[9] In 2004, Sumner received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance.