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Robert Benchley

Benchley photographed for Vanity Fair (magazine)
Born September 15, 1889(1889-09-15)
Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Died November 21, 1945 (aged 56)
New York, New York, United States
Occupation Writer, critic, film actor
Genres Deadpan, Parody, Surreal humour
Influenced

Robert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. Vanity Fair is an American magazine of Culture, Fashion, and Politics published by Condé Nast Publications. Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Worcester (ˈwʊstɚ is a City in the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The City of New York New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. A writer is anyone who creates a written work although the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally as well as those who have written in many different forms The word critic comes from the Greek el κριτικός ( el-Latn kritikós) "able to discern" which in turn derives from the word An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works A literary genre is a category of literary composition Genres may be determined by Literary technique, tone, Content, or even (as in the case of fiction Deadpan is a form of non-comedic delivery in which Humour is presented without a change in emotion or Facial expression, usually speaking in A parody (ˈpɛɹədiː US, [ˈpaɹədiː] UK) in contemporary usage is a work created to mock comment on or poke fun at an original work its subject Surreal humour is a form of humour, laughingly in a style related to the artistic ambitions of the surrealists, based on bizarre Juxtapositions absurd situations Woody Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; December 1 1935 is an American Film director, Writer, Actor, Comedian, and David "Dave" Barry (born July 3, 1947) is a bestselling American author and Pulitzer Prize -winning columnist who wrote a nationally Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an Emmy Award -winning American Actor, Comedian, Writer, Sidney Joseph Perelman, almost always known as S J Perelman ( February 1 1904 &ndash October 17 1979) was an American David Sedaris (born December 26, 1956) is a Grammy Award -nominated American Humorist, Writer, Comedian, bestselling James Grover Thurber ( December 8, 1894 &ndash November 2, 1961) was an American Humorist and Cartoonist. George Robert "Bob" Newhart (born September 5, 1929) is an American stand-up comedian and Actor. Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A humorist is a person who writes or performs humorous material A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works 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 New York City and his peers at the Algonquin Round Table to contemporaries in the burgeoning film industry. The Harvard Lampoon is an Undergraduate humor publication and social organization founded in 1876 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts Vanity Fair A Novel without a Hero is a Novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1847-48 that satirizes society in early The New Yorker is an American Magazine that publishes reportage commentary criticism essays fiction satire cartoons and poetry The City of New York The Algonquin Round Table was a celebrated group of New York City writers critics actors and wits

Benchley is best remembered for his contributions to The New Yorker, where his unique essays, whether topical or absurdist, influenced many modern humorists. The New Yorker is an American Magazine that publishes reportage commentary criticism essays fiction satire cartoons and poetry He also made a name for himself in Hollywood, when his short film How to Sleep was a popular success and won Best Short Subject at the 1935 Academy Awards, and his many memorable appearances in films such as Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent and a dramatic turn in Nice Girl?. Short subject is a format description originally coined in the North American Film industry in the early period of cinema. How to Sleep is a Short film by Robert Benchley. Filmed and released by MGM in 1935, it features Benchley as a narrator as well as Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE (13 Foreign Correspondent is a thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock which tells the story of an American reporter who tries to expose enemy spies in His legacy includes written work and numerous short film appearances.

Contents

Biography

Although Benchley was known for misleading and fictional autobiographical statements about himself (at one point asserting that he wrote A Tale of Two Cities before being buried at Westminster Abbey[1]), he actually was the great-grandchild of the founder of Benchley, Texas: Henry Wetherby Benchley who was jailed for his help with the Underground Railroad. A Tale of Two Cities (1859 is the second Historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church Benchley Texas is a small community in Robertson County Texas. Henry Wetherby Benchley ( February 20, 1822 - February 24, 1867) was an American politician The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and Safe houses used by 19th century Black slaves in the United States [2] Robert Benchley was born on 15 September 1889 in Worcester, Massachusetts, to Charles and Maria Benchley; it was an unplanned birth. Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Worcester (ˈwʊstɚ is a City in the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America. [3]

Robert (left) with his brother, Edmund. Edmund would perish in the Spanish-American War, profoundly affecting Robert and influencing his later pacifist views.
Robert (left) with his brother, Edmund. Edmund would perish in the Spanish-American War, profoundly affecting Robert and influencing his later pacifist views.

Robert's older brother, Edmund Benchley, was thirteen years older, and died in 1898 in the Spanish-American War, when Robert was only nine. (Upon learning of Edmund's death, Maria Benchley was believed to have cried out "Why couldn't it have been Robert?!", a comment for which Maria spent a long time atoning. ) His brother's death had a considerable effect on Robert's life, as his later writings would show distinct pacifist leanings. [4]

Robert Benchley married Gertrude Darling; they met while Benchley was in high school in Worcester, engaged during his senior year at Harvard, married in June 1914,[5] and their first child, Nathaniel Benchley was born a year later. Nathaniel Benchley ( November 13, 1915 – December 14, 1981) was an American author A second son, Robert Benchley, Jr. , was born in 1919. [6] Nathaniel became a writer himself, and penned a biography of his father in 1955[7] as well as becoming a well-respected children's book author. Children's literature is an age category of literature written for published for or marketed to Children roughly through age 12 [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. Peter Bradford Benchley ( May 8, 1940 -11 February 2006 was an American author best known for writing the novel Jaws and co-writing the Peter Bradford Benchley ( May 8, 1940 -11 February 2006 was an American author best known for writing the novel Jaws and co-writing the Jaws is a 1975 thriller / horror Film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley 's best-selling Nathaniel Robert "Nat" Benchley is a writer and actor who has performed on stage television and film [10]

Education

Robert grew up and attended school in Worcester and was involved in academic and traveling theatrical productions during high school. Thanks to financial aid from his late brother's fiancee, Lillian Duryea, he could attend Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire for his final year of high school. Phillips Exeter Academy (also called Exeter, Phillips Exeter or PEA) is a Co-educational independent Boarding school for grades 9–12 Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. [11] Benchley reveled in the atmosphere at the Academy, and he remained active in creative extracurricular activities, thereby damaging his academic credentials toward the end of his term. [12]

Benchley enrolled at Harvard University in 1908, again with Duryea's financial help. [13] He joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity in his freshman year, and continued to partake in the camaraderie that he had enjoyed at Phillips Exeter while still doing well in school. Delta Upsilon ( ΔY) is the 6th oldest international all-male college Greek-letter social fraternity and is the first non-secret fraternity ever Fraternities and sororities (from the Latin words la frater and la soror, meaning "brother" and "sister" respectively are fraternal He did especially well in his English and government classes. His humor and style began to reveal itself during this time; Benchley was often called upon to entertain his fraternity brothers, and his impressions of classmates and professors became very popular. His performances gave him some local fame, and most entertainment programs on campus and many off-campus meetings recruited Benchley's talents. [14]

During his first two years at Harvard, Benchley worked with the Harvard Advocate and the Harvard Lampoon. The Harvard Advocate, the premier Literary magazine of Harvard College, is the oldest continuously published college literary magazine in the United States The Harvard Lampoon is an Undergraduate humor publication and social organization founded in 1876 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts He was elected to the Lampoon's board of directors in his third year. [15] The election of Benchley was unusual, as he was the publication's art editor and the board positions typically fell to the foremost writers on the staff. The Lampoon position opened a number of other doors for Benchley, and he was quickly nominated to the Signet Society meeting club as well as becoming the only undergraduate member of the Boston Papyrus Club at the time. The Signet Society of Harvard University was founded in 1870 by members of the class of 1871 The Papyrus Club was a literary organization in Boston Massachusetts. [16]

Along with his duties at the Lampoon, Benchley acted in a number of theatrical productions, including Hasty Pudding productions of The Crystal Gazer and Below Zero. Hasty pudding is a Pudding or Porridge of grains cooked in Milk or Water. [17] Benchley kept these achievements in mind as he began to contemplate a career for himself after college. 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. Charles Townsend Copeland ( 27 April 1860 - 24 July 1952) was a Professor, Poet, and writer Gluyas Williams ( July 23, 1888 &ndash February 13, 1982) was an American Cartoonist. 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. The Curtis Publishing Company, founded in 1891 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, became one of the largest and most influential publishers in the United States during See also Bureaucrat The term civil service has two distinct meanings Branch of governmental service in which individuals are hired on the basis Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Owing to an academic failure in his senior year due to an illness,[18] Benchley would not receive his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard until the completion of his credits in 1913, and took a position with Curtis shortly after he received his diploma. [19]

Early Professional Career

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. Copy refers to written material in contrast to photographs or other elements of layout in a large number of contexts including magazines advertising and book publishing French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States attracting over one million visitors a year [20] In September 1913 he was hired by Curtis as a full-time staff member, preparing copy for its new house publication, Obiter Dicta. A house organ is Magazine or Periodical published by a company in order to promote that company's products [21] The first issue was roundly criticized by management, who felt it was "too technical, too scattering, and wholly lacking in punch. "[22] Things did not improve for Benchley and Obiter Dicta, and a failed practical joke at a company banquet further strained the relationship between Benchley and his superiors. [23] He continued his attempts to develop his own voice within the publication, but Benchley and Curtis were not a good match and he eventually left,[24] as Curtis was considering eliminating Benchley's role and Benchley was offered a position in Boston with a better salary. [25]

Benchley held a number of similar jobs in following years. His re-entry into public speaking followed the annual Harvard–Yale football game in 1914, where he presented a practical joke involving "Professor Soong" giving a question-and-answer session on football in Chinese. The Game (always capitalized is a title given to several US College football rivalry games but most particularly the annual contest between Harvard In what the local press dubbed "the Chinese professor caper", Soong was played by a Chinese-American who had lived in the United States for over thirty years, and pretended to answer questions in Chinese while Benchley "translated. "[26] 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,"[27] a parody of the non-fiction pieces then popular. Vanity Fair A Novel without a Hero is a Novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1847-48 that satirizes society in early 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. The New York Tribune was an American newspaper first established by Horace Greeley in 1841 which was long considered one of the leading Newspapers in the [28]

Benchley started at the Tribune as a reporter. He was a very poor one, unable to get statements from people quoted in other papers, and eventually had greater success covering lectures around the city. He was promised a position at the Tribune's Sunday magazine when it launched, and he was moved to the magazine's staff soon after he was hired, eventually becoming chief writer. He wrote two articles a week; the first a review of non-literary books, the other a feature-style article about whatever he wanted. The liberty gave his work new life, and the success of his pieces in the magazine convinced his editors to give him a signed byline column in the Tribune proper. The byline on a Newspaper or Magazine article gives the name and often the position of the writer of the article [29]

Benchley filled in for P. G. Wodehouse at Vanity Fair at the beginning of 1916, reviewing theatre in New York. Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE (15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975 (ˈwʊdhaʊs was an English Comic novelist who enjoyed enormous popular success 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. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All In 1917, the Tribune shut down the magazine, and Benchley was out of work again. When a rumored opening for an editorial position at Vanity Fair fell through, Benchley decided he would continue freelancing, having made a name for himself at the magazine. [30]

This freelancing attempt did not start out well, with Benchley selling just one piece to Vanity Fair and accumulating countless rejections in two months. When a job as a press agent for Broadway producer William A. Brady was offered, Benchley took the position against the advice of many of his peers. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located William Aloysius Brady ( June 19, 1863 - January 6, 1950) was an American Theatre actor producer and sports promoter This experience was a poor one, as Brady was extremely difficult to work for, and Benchley resigned to became a publicity director for the federal government's Aircraft Board at the beginning of 1918. The Aircraft Board was a United States federal government organization founded in 1917 His experience there was not much better, and when an opportunity was offered to return to the Tribune under new editorial management, Benchley took it. [31]

At the Tribune, Benchley, along with new editor Ernest Gruening, was in charge of a twelve-page pictorial supplement titled the Tribune Graphic. Ernest Henry Gruening ( February 6, 1887 June 26, 1974) was an American Journalist and Democrat who was The two were given a good deal of freedom, but Benchley's coverage of the war and focus on African-American regiments as well as provocative pictorials about lynching in the southern United States earned him and Gruening scrutiny from management. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Lynching is an Extrajudicial punishment meted out by a mob Lynching an enumerated Felony in some states in the United States, is defined by some Amid accusations that both were pro-German (the United States was fighting Germany at the time), Benchley tendered his resignation in a terse letter, citing the lack of "rational proof that Dr. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Gruening was guilty of. . . charges made against him. . . " and management's attempts to "smirch the character and the newspaper career of the first man in three years who has been able to make the Tribune look like a newspaper. "[32]

Benchley was forced to take a publicity position with the Liberty Loan program, and he continued to freelance until Collier's contacted him with an associate editor position. A Liberty Bond was a special type of War bond that was sold in the United States to support the allied cause in World War I. Collier's Weekly was an American Magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957 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. [33] Benchley accepted, and began work there in 1919. [34]

Vanity Fair and Its Aftermath

Benchley began at Vanity Fair with fellow Harvard Lampoon alumnus Robert Emmet Sherwood and future friend and collaborator Dorothy Parker, who had taken over theatre criticism from P. Robert Emmet Sherwood ( 4 April 1896 – 14 November[[ 955]] American Playwright, editor, and Screenwriter. Dorothy Parker (August 22 1893&ndashJune 7 1967 was an American writer and poet best known for her caustic Wit, wisecracks and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles G. Wodehouse years earlier. The format of Vanity Fair fit Benchley's style very well, allowing his columns to have a humorous tone, often as straight parodies. [35] Benchley's work was typically published twice a month. Some of Benchley's columns, featuring a character he created, were attributed to his pseudonym Brighton Perry, but most were attributed to Benchley himself. A pseudonym is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name (see Alias) [36] Sherwood, Parker, and Benchley became close, often having long lunches at the Algonquin Hotel. The Algonquin Hotel is a historic hotel located at 59 West 44th Street in Manhattan ( New York, New York) When the editorial managers went on a European trip, the three took advantage of the situation, writing articles mocking the local theatre establishment and offering parodic commentary on a variety of topics, such as the effect of Canadian hockey on United States fashion. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Hockey is any of a family of Sports in which two teams compete by trying to maneuver a Ball, or a hard round rubber or heavy plastic disc called a puck Fashion refers to styles of dress (but can also include cuisine literature art architecture and general comportment that are popular in a culture at any given time This worried Sherwood, as he felt it could jeopardize his forthcoming raise. [37]

The situation at Vanity Fair deteriorated on the managerial team's return. The management sent out a memo forbidding the discussion of salaries in an attempt to rein in the staff. Benchley, Parker, and Sherwood responded with a memo of their own, followed by placards around their necks detailing their exact salaries for all to see. Management attempted to issue "tardy slips" for staff who were late; on one of these, Benchley filled out, in very small handwriting, an elaborate excuse involving a herd of elephants on 44th Street. These issues contributed to a general deterioration of morale in the offices, culminating in Parker's termination, allegedly due to complaints by the producers of the plays she skewered in her theatrical reviews. Upon learning of her termination, Benchley tendered his own resignation. Word of it was published in Time by Alexander Woollcott, who was at a lunch with Benchley, Parker, and others. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and Alexander Humphreys Woollcott ( January 19, 1887 &ndash January 23, 1943) was an American critic and commentator for The New Yorker 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. "[38]

Following word of Benchley's resignation, freelance offers began piling up. He was offered $200 per basic subject article for The Home Sector,[39] and a weekly freelance salary from New York World to write a book review column three times per week for the same salary he received at Vanity Fair. The New York World was a Newspaper published in New York from 1860 until 1931 [40] The column, titled "Books and Other Things," ran for one year and roved beyond literature to mundane topics such as Bricklaying in Modern Practice. [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. David Lawrence can refer to many people David Lawrence (cricketer (born 1964 English cricketer David L [42]

Benchley continued to freelance, submitting humor columns to a variety of publications, including The New Yorker and Life (where fellow humorist James Thurber believed Benchley's columns were the only reason the magazine was read). James Grover Thurber ( December 8, 1894 &ndash November 2, 1961) was an American Humorist and Cartoonist. [43] He continued meeting with his friends at the Algonquin, and the group became popularly known as the Algonquin Round Table. The Algonquin Round Table was a celebrated group of New York City writers critics actors and wits [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. [45] 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). [46]

Things changed again for Benchley a number of years into the arrangement. 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. Joseph Michael Kerrigan ( December 16, 1884 - April 29, 1964) better known as J The result was No Sirree! (the name being a pun of the European revue Le Chauve-Souris), "An Anonymous Entertainment by the Vicious Circle of the Hotel Algonquin. Le Chauve-Souris (translated The Bat) was the name of a touring Revue during the early 1900s " Benchley's contribution to the program, "The Treasurer's Report," featured Benchley as a nervous, disorganized man attempting to summarize an organization's yearly expenses. The Treasurer's Report ( 1928) is a comedy sketch made into a Short film, written and performed by Robert Benchley. The revue was applauded by both spectators and fellow actors, with Benchley's performance in particular receiving the biggest laughs. A reprise of "The Treasurer's Report" was often requested for future events, and Irving Berlin hired Benchley for $500 a week to perform it nightly during Berlin's Music Box Revue. Irving Berlin (11 May 1888 &ndash 22 September 1989 was a Russian-born American Composer and Lyricist, and one of the most prolific American songwriters The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Music Box Revue was a Musical theatre Revue with music by Irving Berlin. [47]

Hollywood and The New Yorker call

Benchley had continued to receive positive responses from his performing, and in 1925 he accepted a standing invitation from film producer Jesse L. Lasky for a six-week term writing screenplays at $500. Jesse Louis Lasky ( September 13, 1880 &ndash January 13, 1958) was a pioneer Hollywood film producer and also a key founder See also Pre-production Screenwriting A screenplay or script is a written plan authored by a Screenwriter, for a Film or Television While the session did not yield significant results, Benchley did get writing credit for producing the title cards on the Raymond Griffith silent film You'd Be Surprised, and was invited to do some titling for two other films. In Motion pictures an intertitle (also known as a title card) is a piece of filmed printed text edited into the midst of (i Raymond Griffith ( January 23 1895 - November 25 1957) was one of the great Silent movie comedians You'd Be Surprised is a Silent film released in 1926 starring Raymond Griffith. In Motion pictures an intertitle (also known as a title card) is a piece of filmed printed text edited into the midst of (i [48]

Benchley was also hired to help with the book for a Broadway musical, Smarty, starring Fred Astaire. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award This experience was not as positive, and most of Benchley's contributions were excised and the final product, Funny Face, did not have Benchley's name attached. Funny Face is a 1927 musical composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and book by Fred Thompson and Paul Worn down, Benchley moved to his next commitment, an attempt at a talking film version of "The Treasurer's Report. " The filming went by quickly, and though he was convinced he was not good, The Treasurer's Report was a financial and critical success upon its release in 1928. The Treasurer's Report ( 1928) is a comedy sketch made into a Short film, written and performed by Robert Benchley. 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. The Sex Life of the Polyp ( 1928) is a Short film written and performed by Robert Benchley, based on a routine he first did in 1922 The Movietone sound system is a Sound-on-film method of recording sound for motion pictures which guarantees synchronisation between the sound and the picture Sound-on-film refers to a class of Sound film processes where the sound accompanying picture is physically recorded onto photographic film usually but not always the same The films enjoyed similar success and were critically acclaimed, and Benchley was signed to a deal to produce more films before heading back to New York to continue writing. As Life would say following his eventual resignation in 1929, "Mr. Benchley has left Dramatic Criticism for the Talking Movies". [49]

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. The New Yorker is an American Magazine that publishes reportage commentary criticism essays fiction satire cartoons and poetry Harold Wallace Ross ( November 6, 1892 - December 6, 1951) was an American journalist and founder of The New Yorker While Benchley, along with many of his Algonquin acquaintances, was wary of getting involved with another publication for various reasons, he completed some freelance work for The New Yorker over the first few years, and was later invited to be newspaper critic. Benchley initially wrote the column under the pseudonym Guy Fawkes (the lead conspirator in the English Gunpowder Plot), and the column was very well received. Guy Fawkes ( 13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606) sometimes known as Guido Fawkes, was a member of a group of English The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 or the Powder Treason, as it was known at the time was a failed Assassination attempt by a group of provincial English Benchley tackled issues ranging from careless reporting to European fascism,[50] and the publication flourished. Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology Benchley was invited to be theatre critic for The New Yorker in 1929, leaving Life, and contributions from Woollcott and Parker became regular features in the magazine. The New Yorker published an average of forty-eight Benchley columns per year during the early 1930s. [51]

With the emergence of The New Yorker, Benchley was able to stay away from Hollywood work for a number of years. In 1931, he was persuaded to do voice work for RKO Radio Pictures for a film that would eventually be titled Sky Devils, and he acted in his first feature film, The Sport Parade (1932) with Joel McCrea. Joel Albert McCrea, (November 5 &ndashOctober 20) was an American actor and Film star whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films The work on The Sport Parade caused Benchley to miss the fall theatre openings, which embarrassed him (even if the relative success of The Sport Parade was often credited to Benchley's role), but the lure of filmmaking did not disappear, since RKO offered him a writing and acting contract for the following year for more money than he was making writing for The New Yorker. [52]

Benchley On Film and "How to Sleep"

Benchley re-entered Hollywood at the height of the Great Depression, and the large-scale introduction of the talkie films he had began working with years before. His arrival put him on the scene of a number of productions almost instantly. While Benchley was more interested in writing than acting, one of his more important roles as an actor was as a salesman in Rafter Romance, and his work attracted the interest of MGM, who offered Benchley a lot of money to complete a series of short films. Rafter Romance is a 1933 film directed by William A Seiter and starring Ginger Rogers. Benchley, who had also been offered a syndicated column by Hearst, was able to film the shorts in New York and keep up with his new column. Print syndication is a form of syndication in which News articles columns, or Comic strips are made available to Newspapers, Magazines Hearst Communications Inc is a privately-held American -based Media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower in New York City, USA Before heading back to New York, Benchley took a role in the Clark Gable film Dancing Lady. Clark Gable (February 1 &ndashNovember 16) was an iconic American Actor nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday Dancing Lady is a 1933 musical Motion picture starring Joan Crawford, Clark Gable and Franchot Tone. [53]

Benchley demonstrating How to Sleep. The short film became his best-known work, and earned him an Academy Award.
Benchley demonstrating How to Sleep. The short film became his best-known work, and earned him an Academy Award.

In 1933, Benchley returned to Hollywood, completing the short films Your Technocracy and Mine for Universal Pictures, How to Break 90 at Croquet for RKO, and the feature-length Gable production China Seas for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American China Seas is a 1935 Adventure film starring Clark Gable as a brave sea captain Jean Harlow as an onboard floozy and Wallace Upon completion, MGM invited Benchley to write and perform in a short production inspired by a Mellon Institute study on sleep commissioned by the Simmons Mattress Company. Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, founded in 1913 by Andrew W Simmons Bedding Company is a major manufacturer of Mattresses and related bedding products The resulting film, How to Sleep, was filmed in two days, and featured Benchley as both the narrator and sleeper, the latter a role Benchley claimed was "not much of a strain, as [he] was in bed most of the time. How to Sleep is a Short film by Robert Benchley. Filmed and released by MGM in 1935, it features Benchley as a narrator as well as "[54] The film was well-received in preview screenings, and promotions took over, with a still from the film being used in Simmons advertisements. A test screening is a preview screening of a movie or television show before its general release in order to gauge audience reaction The only group not pleased was the Mellon Institute, who did not approve of the studio mocking their study. [55]

The early success of How to Sleep prompted MGM to rush two more short films featuring Benchley, How to Train a Dog, a spoof of dog-training techniques, and How to Behave, which lampooned etiquette norms. How to Train a Dog is a 1936 Short film released through MGM Studios starring Robert Benchley. How to Behave is a Short film released through MGM Studios starring Robert Benchley. Etiquette is a code that governs the expectations of Social behavior, according to the contemporary conventional norm within a Society, How to Sleep was named Best Short Subject at the 1935 Academy Awards, while the latter two shorts were not as well received. [56]

Benchley returned to the cinema in 1937, cast in the revue Broadway Melody of 1938, and in his largest role to that point, the critically-panned Live, Love and Learn. Broadway Melody of 1938 is a 1937 musical Film, produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Roy Del Ruth. A short that Benchley completed for MGM, A Night at the Movies, was Benchley's greatest success since How to Sleep, and won him a contract for more short films that would be produced in New York. 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. He still completed two shoots in one day (one of which was The Courtship of the Newt), but rested for a while following the 1937 schedule. [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. The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco Skyscraper in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street The radio program, Melody and Madness, was more a showcase for Benchley's acting, as he did not participate in writing it. It was not well received, and was removed from the schedule. [58]

Later life

1939 was a bad year for Benchley's career. 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. Following his final New Yorker column in 1940, Benchley headed back to Hollywood and completed some shorts for Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Benchley also received two more feature-length roles: Walt Disney's The Reluctant Dragon, where Benchley played himself as written by other people, and Nice Girl?, considered Benchley's greatest non-comedic performance. Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter The Reluctant Dragon is an animated film produced by Walt Disney, directed by Alfred Werker, and released by RKO Radio Pictures on [59]

Benchley's roles primarily came as a freelance actor, as his Paramount contract was not providing enough money. Benchley was cast in minor roles for various romantic comedies, some shoots going better than others. He appeared in prominent roles with Fred Astaire in You'll Never Get Rich (1941) and The Sky's the Limit (1943). You'll Never Get Rich ( Columbia Pictures) is a 1941 Hollywood musical comedy Film with a wartime theme starring Fred Astaire The Sky's The Limit ( 1943) is a musical comedy Film with a wartime theme starring Fred Astaire, Joan Leslie, Robert Paramount did not renew his contract in 1943, and Benchley signed back with MGM with an exclusive contract. The situation was not positive for Benchley, as the studio "mishandled" him and kept Benchley too busy to complete his own work. His contract concluded with only four short films completed and no chance of signing another contract. Following the printing of two books of his old New Yorker columns, Benchley gave up writing for good in 1943, signing one more contract with Paramount in December of that year. [60]

While Benchley's books and Paramount contract were giving him financial security, he was still unhappy with the turn his career had taken. His experience with Weekend at the Waldorf was especially upsetting, as Benchley considered the writing to be below par. He continued to fill his schedule, despite being diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver caused by a drinking problem which he had developed later in his life. Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic Liver Disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrous Scar tissue as well as regenerative While he completed his year's work, his condition continued to deteriorate, and Benchley died in a New York hospital on 21 November 1945. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar His family opted for a private funeral service, and his body was cremated and interred in a family plot on the island of Nantucket. [61]

Humor style

Benchley's humor was molded during his time at Harvard. While his skills as an orator were already known by classmates and friends, it was not until his work at the Lampoon that his style was formed. The Harvard Lampoon is an Undergraduate humor publication and social organization founded in 1876 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts The prominent styles of humor were then "crackerbarrel," which relied on devices such as dialects and a disdain for formal education in the style of humorists such as Artemis Ward and Petroleum Vesuvius Nasby, and a more "genteel" style of humor, very literary and upper-class in nature, a style popularized by Oliver Wendell Holmes. See also Artemas Ward (disambiguation Charles Farrar Browne, ( April 23, 1834 - March 6, 1867) was a David Ross Locke (also known by his Pseudonym Petroleum V Nasby) ( September 20, 1833 &ndash February 15, 1888) was Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr, (August 29 1809 &ndash October 7 1894 was a Physician by profession but achieved fame as a Writer; he was one of the best While the two styles were, at first glance, diametrically opposed, they coexisted in magazines such as Vanity Fair and Life. The Lampoon primarily used the latter style, which suited Benchley. While some of his pieces would not have been out of place in a crackerbarrel-style presentation, Benchley's reliance on puns and wordplay resonated more with the literary humorists, as shown by his success with The New Yorker, known for the highbrow tastes of its readers. The New Yorker is an American Magazine that publishes reportage commentary criticism essays fiction satire cartoons and poetry [62]

Benchley's characters were typically exaggerated representations of the common man. 'Common people' redirects here For the song see Common People. They were designed to create a contrast between himself and the masses, who had less common sense. 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. [63] This character, labeled the "Little Man" and in some ways similar to many of Mark Twain's protagonists, was based on Benchley himself; he did not persist in Benchley's writing past the early 1930s, but survived in his speaking and acting roles. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist This character was apparent in Benchley's Ivy Oration during his Harvard graduation ceremonies,[64] and would appear throughout his career, such as during "The Treasurer's Report" in the 1920s[65] and his work in feature films in the 1930s. [66]

Topical, current-event style pieces written for Vanity Fair during the war did not lose their levity, either. He was not afraid to poke fun at the establishment (one piece he wrote was titled "Have You a Little German Agent in Your Home?"), 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 said. . . so votes straight Republicrat ticket. "[67] His lighter fare did not hesitate to touch upon topical issues, drawing analogies between a football game and patriotism, or chewing gum and diplomacy and economic relations with Mexico. Patriotism is commonly defined as love of and/or devotion to one's country For songs called "Chewing Gum" see Chewing Gum (song Chewing gum is a type of Confectionery traditionally made of Chicle The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. [68]

In his films, the common man exaggerations continued. Much of his time in the films was spent spoofing himself,[69] 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. [70] Even the longer, plot-driven shorts, such as Lesson Number One, Furnace Trouble, and Stewed, Fried and Boiled, show a Benchley character overmatched by seemingly mundane tasks. [71] Even the more stereotypical characters held these qualities, such as the incapable sportscaster Benchley played in The Sport Parade. [72]

Benchley's humor inspired a number of later humorists and filmmakers. Dave Barry, author, onetime humor writer for the Miami Herald, and judge of the 2006 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor,[73] has called Benchley his "idol"[74] and he "always wanted to write like [Benchley]. David "Dave" Barry (born July 3, 1947) is a bestselling American author and Pulitzer Prize -winning columnist who wrote a nationally The Miami Herald is a daily Newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered in Downtown Miami Florida. "[75] Horace Digby claimed that, "[M]ore than anyone else, Robert Benchley influenced [his] early writing style. "[76] Outsider filmmaker Sidney N. Laverents lists Benchley as an influence as well,[77] 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. James Grover Thurber ( December 8, 1894 &ndash November 2, 1961) was an American Humorist and Cartoonist. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1939 is a short story by James Thurber. [78]

The Algonquin Round Table

Main article: Algonquin Round Table

The Algonquin Round Table was a group of New York City writers and actors who met regularly between 1919 and 1929 at the Algonquin Hotel. The Algonquin Round Table was a celebrated group of New York City writers critics actors and wits The Algonquin Hotel is a historic hotel located at 59 West 44th Street in Manhattan ( New York, New York) Initially consisting of Benchley, Dorothy Parker, and Alexander Woollcott during their time at Vanity Fair, the group eventually expanded to over a dozen regular members of the New York media and entertainment, such as playwrights George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly, actor Harpo Marx, and journalist/critic Heywood Broun, who gained prominence due to his positions during the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. George Simon Kaufman ( November 16 1889 - June 2 1961) was an American Playwright, Theatre director and Marcus Cook Connelly ( December 13, 1890 - December 21, 1980) was an American playwright and a key member of the Algonquin Arthur Marx (previously Adolph Marx) popularly known as Harpo Marx ( November 23, 1893 &ndash September 28, 1964 Heywood Campbell Broun /bɹun/ ( December 7 1888 – December 18 1939) was an American Journalist. Ferdinando Nicola Sacco (April 22 1891 – August 23 1927 and Bartolomeo Vanzetti (June 11 1888 – August 23 1927 were two Italian-born American laborers The table gained prominence due to the media attention the members drew as well as their collective contributions to their respective areas.

Works

Main article: List of Robert Benchley collections and film appearances

Benchley produced over 600 essays,[79] which were initially compiled in twelve volumes, during his writing career. Robert Benchley produced over 600 essays initially compiled over twelve volumes during his writing career [80] He also appeared in a number of films, including 48 short treatments that he mostly wrote or co-wrote and numerous feature films. [81]

Posthumously, Benchley's works continue to be released in books such as the 1983 Random House compilation The Best of Robert Benchley,[82] 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. Random House Inc is the world's largest English-language general trade book publisher Donald Ogden Stewart ( November 30, 1894 &ndash August 2, 1980) was an American author and screenwriter [83]

Works cited

References

  1. ^ Rosmond, 17.
  2. ^ Yates, 13.
  3. ^ Gaines, 4.
  4. ^ Benchley, 26–30; Gaines, 4.
  5. ^ Benchley, 33–36, 44, 68–69.
  6. ^ Benchley, 138–139.
  7. ^ Robert Benchley: A Biography.
  8. ^ HarperCollins.
  9. ^ BBC.
  10. ^ Washington Post.
  11. ^ Yates, 13.
  12. ^ Altman, 31.
  13. ^ Altman, 33.
  14. ^ Altman, 35–41.
  15. ^ Yates, 18.
  16. ^ Altman, 40–42.
  17. ^ Yates, 13–14.
  18. ^ Altman, 43–51.
  19. ^ Yates, 13–14.
  20. ^ Altman, 55–56
  21. ^ Yates, 31–32.
  22. ^ Altman, 61.
  23. ^ Altman, 61–68.
  24. ^ Yates, 31–34.
  25. ^ Altman, 67–68.
  26. ^ Altman, 72–74.
  27. ^ Originally, "No Matter What Angle You Look at It, Alice Brookhausen Was a Girl Whom You Would Hesitate to Invite into Your Own Home. " Yates, 38–39.
  28. ^ Altman, 75–82.
  29. ^ Altman, 84–89.
  30. ^ Altman, 99–102.
  31. ^ Altman, 105–108, 128–131.
  32. ^ Altman, 130–134.
  33. ^ Altman, 134–136.
  34. ^ Yates, 49.
  35. ^ Altman, 139–145.
  36. ^ Yates, 51.
  37. ^ Altman, 139–148.
  38. ^ Altman, 148–158.
  39. ^ Altman, 160.
  40. ^ Yates, 52.
  41. ^ Altman 162–163.
  42. ^ Yates, 53–54.
  43. ^ Yates, 53–55.
  44. ^ Altman, 165–178.
  45. ^ Yates, 53–54.
  46. ^ Altman, 193–196.
  47. ^ Altman, 199, 204–208
  48. ^ Altman, 241–243.
  49. ^ Altman, 243–254.
  50. ^ Altman, 256–264.
  51. ^ Altman, 270.
  52. ^ Altman, 285, 289–29.
  53. ^ Altman, 295–298.
  54. ^ Altman, 302–303.
  55. ^ Altman, 305.
  56. ^ Altman, 306–307.
  57. ^ Altman, 321–325.
  58. ^ Altman, 325, 327–328.
  59. ^ Altman, 330, 334, 340–342.
  60. ^ Altman, 343–348.
  61. ^ Altman, 352–362.
  62. ^ Yates, 18–20.
  63. ^ Yates, 61–62.
  64. ^ Yates, 24–27.
  65. ^ Yates, 67.
  66. ^ Yates, 135–136.
  67. ^ Yates, 44–45.
  68. ^ Yates, 44.
  69. ^ Yates, 94.
  70. ^ Altman, 249–251.
  71. ^ Altman, 252–253.
  72. ^ Altman, 289.
  73. ^ The Robert Benchley Society.
  74. ^ The Writer Magazine.
  75. ^ Time
  76. ^ The Blue Pencil interview.
  77. ^ New York Times.
  78. ^ The Paris Review.
  79. ^ Yates, 58–59.
  80. ^ Altman, 363.
  81. ^ Altman, 364–367.
  82. ^ Amazon. com listing for The Best of Robert Benchley.
  83. ^ Amazon. com listing for Robert Benchley and the Knights of the Algonquin.

External links

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