Theodore N. Beckman (1895‐1973): external manifestations of the man

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to describe the life and contributions to the marketing discipline of Theodore N. Beckman whose academic career at the Ohio State University spanned some 50 years. Design/methodology/approach – This research used traditional historical interpretation of rare archival documents, depth interviews of two of Beckman's former students, and analysis of Beckman's published work. Findings – The findings are reported as an intellectual biography. The paper reports on Beckman's life and career as an eminent marketing scholar. Originality/value – Little biographical research has been published in the marketing discipline and to date only a brief sketch of Beckman was published in the Journal of Marketing in 1965.