Laurence Perrine (1915–1995) was a best-selling author and college professor.
After earning B.A. and M.A. degrees from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. from Yale University, Laurence Perrine began his distinguished career as a member of Southern Methodist University's English faculty in 1946 and was named the Daisy Deane Frensley Professor of English Literature in 1968. His major works include the textbooks Sound and Sense and Story and Structure, on the appreciation of poetry and fiction, first published in the 1950s. Originally developed for use in his poetry class, Sound and Sense became one of the most influential works in American education. Perrine was also the author of books of limericks.
Perrine was one of the founders of SMU's Phi Beta Kappa chapter in 1949. In his honor, the chapter awards a Perrine Prize each year to a member of SMU's undergraduate faculty in liberal studies.
Perrine retired as the Frensley Professor Emeritus in 1980 and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from SMU in 1988. He died in 1995.