Nat Karson, producer and designer of costumes, sets, and lighting in theatrical and television productions in New York, was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1908, and moved to Chicago at an early age. He moved to New York in 1929, and worked in theatre productions at the Federal Theatre Project, including the all-black-cast production of Macbeth (1936), directed by Orson Welles. Karson also produced and created set, costume and lighting designs for theatrical productions on Broadway and elsewhere, such as the 1939 New York World's Fair.

He served as the art director of Radio City Music Hall (1936-1943), and in 1948 he became consultant producer at the Columbia Broadcasting Company. His credits include The Hot Mikado (1939), Keep off the grass (1940), and Hamlet at the Kronberg Festival in Denmark (1949). Nat Karson died in New York City in 1954.