Walter Leroy Boughton (1918-1987) taught and directed theater at Amherst College for over thirty years. A native of Toledo, Ohio, he received a B.A. (1941) and M.A. (1949) from Brown University and an M.F.A. degree (1951) from Yale University. Before coming to Amherst, Boughton taught at Brown, Ripon College, and the University of California at Berkeley. At Amherst College he was Director of Kirby Theater and Assistant Professor of Dramatic Arts (1957-1960) and was promoted to Associate Professor (1960-1964) and Stanley King Professor (1964-1987). He received an honorary M.A. from Amherst College in 1964. Boughton was also producer of the Weston (Vt.) Playhouse from 1972 to 1986. He died in January 1987.

Walter Boughton's papers consist chiefly of teaching notes and class material for a variety of drama classes at Amherst College, from ancient Greek through contemporary American drama.