Another English professor recommended that Benchley speak with the Curtis Publishing Company; but Benchley was initially against the idea, and ultimately took a position at a civil service office in Philadelphia. (According to legend, he submitted a magazine piece titled "I Like to Loaf" two weeks after deadline. Benchley enrolled at Harvard University in 1908, again with Duryea's financial help. My partner, Nancy, and I didnt visit there this past weekend, in our time on Nantucket. lieutenants were, Hangdog face offset by a thin, elegant mustache. Part of it was boutiques. [15], Robert grew up and attended South High School in Worcester and was involved in academic and traveling theatrical productions during high school. Benchley participated in two more films that year: a second talking film he wrote, The Sex Life of the Polyp, and a third starring but not written by him, The Spellbinder, all made in the Fox Movietone sound-on-film system and released by Fox Films. Given that Benchley had two children at the time of his resignation, Parker referred to it as "the greatest act of friendship I'd ever seen. He did especially well in his English and government classes. Charles Townsend Copeland, an English professor, recommended that Benchley go into writing, and Benchley and future Benchley illustrator Gluyas Williams from the Lampoon considered going into freelance work writing and illustrating theatrical reviews. Proposed the following epitaph for his tombstone although it was not (New York City, Twayne Publishers, 1968. The name Robert Benchley seldom appears by itself anymore. In 1941 Benchley received two more feature-length roles: Walt Disney's The Reluctant Dragon, in which Benchley tours the various departments of the Disney studio, and Nice Girl? He doesnt feel the same way about the erosion as do the New Yorkers and the Connecticut folk. Benchley re-entered Hollywood at the height of the Great Depression and the large-scale introduction of the talkie films he had begun working with years before. Connect to the World Family Tree to find out, "Then, after dinner or supper or the Hv, "WHAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT WILSON AND HUGHES Bv, that my voice changed about twelve years ago, MEGG AND ILK, By, "HOW MANY MILES DO YOU WALK AT LUNCH? Besides the cancellation of his radio show, Benchley learned that MGM did not plan to renew his contract, and The New Yorker, frustrated with Benchley's film career taking precedence over his theatre column, hired a new critic. ", then standing by her side at the age of nine. [83], Posthumously, Benchley's works continue to be released in books such as the 1983 Random House compilation The Best of Robert Benchley,[84] and the 2005 collection of short films Robert Benchley and the Knights of the Algonquin, which compiled many of Benchley's popular short films from his years at Paramount with other works from fellow humorists and writers Alexander Woollcott and Donald Ogden Stewart.[85]. They can get positively irate at the prospect that their summer homes and mansions on the bluffs will not last forever, that the Atlantic is reclaiming Nantucket fast enough to make everyone jittery. (New York City: Harcourt Brace, 1977. [57], Benchley's return yielded two more short films, and his high profile prompted negotiations for sponsorship of a Benchley radio program and numerous appearances on television shows, including the first television entertainment program ever broadcast, an untitled test program using an experimental antenna on the Empire State Building. [11] Nathaniel also became a writer, and he published a biography of his father in 1955. We never quite learn what it was about Benchley's style or subjects that made him the most admired humorist of his generation and prompted James Thurber to remark, years after Benchley's death, that ''one of the greatest fears of the humorous writer is that he has spent three weeks writing something done faster and better by Benchley in 1919.''. He was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor who is best remembered for his contributions to The New Yorker, where his essays, whether topical or absurdist, influenced many modern humorists. WebBorn Robert Charles Benchley in Worcester, Massachusetts. [41] Unfortunately for Benchley, however, his writing a syndicated column for David Lawrence drew the ire of his World bosses, and "Books and Other Things" was dropped. . Benchley kept these achievements in mind as he began to contemplate a career for himself after college. He was elected to the Lampoon's board of directors in his third year. 'Benchley': Seeing a Famous Forebear Whole. Benchley.". [41], The situation at Vanity Fair deteriorated upon management's return. [32] Benchley accepted, and began work there in 1919.[33]. He did especially well in his English and government classes. Benchley took this offer to Vanity Fair to see if they could match it, as he felt Vanity Fair was the better magazine, and Vanity Fair offered him the position of managing editor. with Deanna Durbin, noteworthy for a rare dramatic performance by Benchley. The only group not pleased was the Mellon Institute, who did not approve of the studio mocking their study. These films were produced more quickly than his previous efforts (while How to Sleep needed two days, the later short How to Vote needed less than twelve hours), and took their toll on Benchley. We were with a living Benchley, Rob (the third) and his lovely wife Carol, and we didnt talk about literature or the family tree much at all. Eventually, he began lobbying gently for Benchley to compile his columns into book form, and, in 1921, was delighted when the result of his nagging - Of All Things - was published. James R. Gaines, Wit's End: Days and Nights of the Algonquin Round Table. other disruptions, Benchley made his mark as a theater critic and as "[83] Outsider filmmaker Sidney N. Laverents lists Benchley as an influence as well,[84] and James Thurber used Benchley as a reference point, citing Benchley's penchant for presenting "the commonplace as remarkable" in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Helen is now 103 years old, resting comfortably in an assisted living home in Atlanta. They had a marvelous friendship. [8] Nathaniel had talented sons as well: Peter Benchley was best known for the book Jaws (which inspired the film of the same name),[9] and Nat Benchley wrote and performed in an acclaimed one-man production based on Robert's life.[10]. al. [70] This character, labeled the "Little Man" and in some ways similar to many of Mark Twain's protagonists, was based on Benchley himself; the character did not persist in Benchley's writing past the early 1930s, but survived in his speaking and acting roles. WEDNESDAY, 5th Rodeo & Wood, chop. arged from an Army hospital, where he is convalescing from a minor operation. [48], During the time that Benchley was filming various short films, he also began working at The New Yorker, which had started in February 1925 under the control of Benchley's friend Harold Ross. (1941). By this time Robert Benchley's screen image was established as a comic lecturer who tried but failed to clarify any given topic. Robert grew up and attended school in Worcester and was involved in academic and traveling theatrical productions during high school. WebBenchley showed at the Lobster Pot. Mrs. Benchley apologized profoundly and tried hard to atone for the remark. Most of them were adapted from his old essays ("Take the Witness!," with Benchley fantasizing about conquering a tough cross-examination, was filmed as The Witness; "The Real Public Enemies," showing the criminal tendencies of sinister household objects, was filmed as Crime Control, etc.). Artists Association of Nantucket And that was the point of the trip, which made it a happy one in every way that it could be. As a post-graduate journalist, between frequent firings and [58], 1939 was a bad year for Benchley's career. The only group not pleased was the Mellon Institute, who did not approve of the studio mocking their study. It is more because they are real islanders, deeply involved in the local community and passionate about the preservation of the natural beauty that surrounds them. His arrival put him on the scene of a number of productions almost instantly. [47], Benchley continued to freelance, submitting humor columns to a variety of publications, including Life (where fellow humorist James Thurber stated that Benchley's columns were the only reason the magazine was read). Owing to an academic failure in his senior year due to an illness,[22] Benchley would not receive his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard until the completion of his credits in 1913. He wrote brilliantly and hilariously for The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, won an Oscar and, by all accounts, acquitted himself with distinction at the Algonquin in New York. It was not well received, and was removed from the schedule. WebTop 3 Results for Robert C Benchley. They became engaged during his senior year at Harvard University, and they married in June 1914. [5][3], Robert's older brother Edmund (born March 3, 1876)[6] was a 4th year cadet at West Point in 1898 when his class was graduated early to support preparations for the SpanishAmerican War; he was killed July 1 at the Battle of San Juan Hill. The experience at Vanity Fair inspired Benchley's fellow staff at the Tribune magazine with creative topics for articles (such as arranging for the producers of The Thirteenth Chair to cast Benchley as a corpse), but the situation at the magazine deteriorated as the pacifist Benchley became unhappy with the Tribune's position on World War I, and the Tribune editors were unhappy with the evolving tone and irreverence of the magazine. ", then standing by her side at the age of nine. An often overlooked influence upon Benchley's early professional career was the admiration and friendship of the Canadian economist, academic, and humorist Dr. Stephen Leacock. [16], Benchley did copy work for the Curtis Publishing Company during the summer following graduation (1913) while doing other odd service jobs, such as translating French catalogs for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. [46] Unfortunately for Benchley, however, his writing a syndicated column for David Lawrence drew the ire of his World bosses, and "Books and Other Things" was dropped. His younger son, Nat Benchley, is a writer and actor who has portrayed his grandfather, Robert Benchley, in a one-man, semi-biographical stage show, Benchley Despite Himself. That's what makes it so tough for us outsiders: we have to fight home The format of Vanity Fair fit Benchley's style very well, allowing his columns to have a humorous tone, often as straight parodies. URL accessed May 21, 2007. third class in Bulgaria. He took a position with Curtis shortly after he received his diploma. Jaws author Peter Benchley. From his beginnings at The Harvard Lampoon while attending Harvard University, through his many years writing essays and articles for Vanity Fair and The New Yorker and his acclaimed short films, Benchley's style of humor brought him respect and success during his life, from his peers at the Algonquin Round Table in New York City to contemporaries in the burgeoning film industry. He was transferred to the Pacific in 1945. He has been treated for hernia at Ashford General Hospital, ing wartime, 26,000 lives and 22,000 plantsmore than the combat toll exacted by Germans and Japanese. Source notes would have helped here, at the very least by giving readers some guidance in figuring out where Mr. Altman got his stories -- and how reliable they might be. Benchley is best remembered for his contributions to The New Yorker, where his essays, whether topical or absurdist, influenced many modern humorists. [47] His reviews were known for their flair, and he often used them as a soapbox for issues of concern to him, whether petty (people who cough during plays) or more important (such as racial intolerance). Benchley was born and raised in Worcester, Mass. The table gained prominence due to the media attention the members drew as well as their collective contributions to their respective areas. The revue was applauded by both spectators and fellow actors, with Benchley's performance receiving the biggest laughs. Died: Luke Lea, 66, former U. S. s Wilmington, New Hanover, North Carolina, USA, Private Family Plot, Nantucket, Nantucket, MA, United States, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, 1791-1963, The MacLeay Chronicle (Kempsey, Nsw) - Nov 21 1945, The Wilmington Morning Star - Nov 25 1945. A theatrical production by the members of the Round Table was put together in response to a challenge from actor J. M. Kerrigan, who was tired of the Table's complaints about the ongoing theatre season. "[29] While his public profile rose, Benchley continued with freelance work, which included his first paid piece for Vanity Fair in 1914, titled "Hints on Writing a Book,"[30][31] a parody of the non-fiction pieces then popular. [65] This character, labeled the "Little Man" and in some ways similar to many of Mark Twain's protagonists, was based on Benchley himself; the character did not persist in Benchley's writing past the early 1930s, but survived in his speaking and acting roles. They were among the founders of the famed Algonquin Round Table in 1919. Robert Benchley met Gertrude Darling in high school in Worcester. They became engaged during his senior year at Harvard University, and they married in June 1914. [10] Their first child, Nathaniel Benchley, was born a year later. A second son, Robert Benchley, Jr., was born in 1919. [11] Given that Benchley had two children at the time of his resignation, Parker referred to it as "the greatest act of friendship I'd ever seen. New and Upcoming Science Fiction and Fantasy, (June 6, 1914 - November 21, 1945) (his death), The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966), View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Born in Newton, Massachusetts to a literary family, he was the son of Gertrude Darling and Robert He took a position with Curtis shortly after he received his diploma. [10] Their first child, Nathaniel Benchley, was born a year later. While Benchley's pieces were bought by Vanity Fair from time to time, his consistent work dried up, and Benchley took a position with the New York Tribune. While he completed his year's work, his condition continued to deteriorate, and he died in a New York hospital on November 21, 1945. WebRobert Benchley met Gertrude Darling in high school in Worcester. Benchley's humor was molded during his time at Harvard. His performances gave him some local fame, and most entertainment programs on campus and many off-campus meetings recruited Benchley's talents. [55], With the emergence of The New Yorker, Benchley was able to stay away from Hollywood work for a number of years. The Benchley family was attending a public Fourth of July picnic when a bicycle messenger brought the notification telegram. speaker. Nathaniel Benchley died in 1981 in Boston, Massachusetts and was interred in the family plot at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Nantucket. Nathaniel Benchley, Robert Benchley, a biography. In his review of ''Hurricane'' from 1924, he describes in detail how he slept ''during annunciation and denunciation scenes . spital Week DECEMBER 3 to DECEMBER 8. WebRobert Benchley and Dorothy Parker were close friends and shared an office. Benchley's alcoholism, already a problem, worsened and he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Benchley was cast in minor roles for various romantic comedies, some shoots going better than others. That is as far as I got. The uncanny feature of our talent in this field is that, once the scene is through and they begin talking of something new on the stage, a sixth sense in us operates to send the blood pounding through our temples and we awake with a start, rosy-cheeked and refreshed.''. Benchley produced over 600 essays,[86] which were initially compiled in twelve volumes, during his writing career. URL accessed May 21, 2007. But now he has been an islander for a long [80], Benchley produced over 600 essays,[81] which were initially compiled in twelve volumes, during his writing career. Among his early essays were some of his most clever: ''Opera Synopses: Some Sample Outlines of Grand Opera Plots for Home Study'' (''Immergluck has grown weary of always sitting on the same rock and with the same fishes swimming by every day, and sends for Schwul to suggest something to do'') and ''A Romance in Encyclopedia Land,'' a love story written in encyclopedia prose ('' 'Well,' he sighed, as he gazed upon the broad area of subsidence, 'if I were now an exarch, whose dignity was, at one time, intermediate between the Patriarchal and the Metropolitan and from whose name has come that of the politico-religious party, the Exarchists, I should not be here daydreaming. His shortcoming was the submission of a "scholarly paper" which Benchley eventually rectified by a treatise on the U.S. Canadian Fisheries Dispute, written from the point of view of a cod. The most comprehensive listing of Robert Benchley's books, essays, newspaper writings, and drama criticism is Robert Benchley: An Annotated Bibliography compiled by Robert Benchley Society Director Mr. Gordon Ernst, Jr. It also contains a publishing chronology, filmography, and discography. is buried in the family plot on Nantucket. Much of his time in the films was spent spoofing himself,[76] whether it was the affected nervousness of the treasurer in The Treasurer's Report or the discomfort in explaining The Sex Life of the Polyp to a women's club. [50], Things changed again for Benchley a number of years into the arrangement. The radio program, Melody and Madness - with the Melody provided by Artie Shaw - was a showcase for Benchley's acting, as he did not participate in writing it. WebAlthough by his own account Benchley was not quite a writer and not quite an actor, he managed to become one of the best-known humorists and comedians of his time. Unfortunately, the story he tells, though not much different from the one Nathaniel Benchley gave us 40 years ago, is blander and less witty. ISBN 0151975213). The character is often befuddled by many of the actions of society and is often neurotic in a "different" way the character in How to Watch Football, for instance, finds it sensible for a normal fan to forgo the live experience and read the recap in the local papers. "), and his common man observations often veered into angry rants, such as his piece "The Average Voter," where the namesake of the piece "[F]orgets what the paper saidso votes straight Republicrat ticket. The house is gone; the Benchleys [44] In April 1920, Benchley landed a position with Life writing theatre reviews, which he would continue doing regularly through 1929, eventually taking complete control of the drama section. 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