[53], 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. (According to legend, he submitted a magazine piece titled I Like to Loaf two weeks after deadline. The Blue Pencil: Interview with Horace J. Digby, January 19, 2007. 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. Gallery as well as at AAN. https://www.robertbenchley.org/sob/edmund.htm, https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/a/altman-laughter.html, "Hollywood Walk of Fame - Robert Benchley". Paramount did not renew his contract in 1943, and Benchley signed back with MGM with an exclusive contract. [45], Things changed again for Benchley a number of years into the arrangement. 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. 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 (released September 1926), and was invited to do some titling for two other films. In America there are two classes of travel - First Class, and with 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. 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.). Owing to an academic failure in his senior year due to an illness,[17] Benchley would not receive his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard until the completion of his credits in 1913. This piqued dads curiosity, so he asked the man about the place. 10: James Thurber." 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. 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.[65]. People say the darnedest things on that boat, Rob responded, when I told him in an e-mail about the comment. "[74] 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. Among his more self-deprecating bons mots: It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldnt give it up because by that time I was too famous.. Benchley is best remembered for his contributions to The New Yorker, where his essays, whether topical or absurdist, influenced many modern humorists. Benchleys novel Welcome to Xanadu was made into the 1975 motion picture Sweet Hostage. 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. lying down. His large square face, with the slicked-back black hair, thin mustache and bemused smirk, is a bit more familiar to fans of film comedies of the 1930's and 40's in which he played some version of himself: a slightly tipsy, caustically funny, physically clumsy New York sophisticate. Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing. 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. Also, Benchley appeared as himself in Walt Disney's behind the scenes film, The Reluctant Dragon (1941). In this capacity Paramount cast him in the 1945 Bob Hope-Bing Crosby comedy Road to Utopia; Benchley interrupts the action periodically to "explain" the nonsensical storyline. The summer people, those from New York and Connecticut who swell Nantuckets population fivefold in July and August, are privately referred to, with only a little rancor, as the entitled ones, in reference to them taking so much for granted, and treating the island as a personal playground. "[24] 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,"[25][26] a parody of the non-fiction pieces then popular. [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. "; accounts conflict as to whether Robert (who was nine at the time) heard this. 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. G. Wodehouse years earlier. Geni requires JavaScript! Brother of Lt. Edmund Benchley. I hadnt really had any idea about the Benchley family tree. 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. [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). In his films, the common man exaggerations continued. His contract concluded with only four short films completed and no chance of signing another contract. with Deanna Durbin, noteworthy for a rare dramatic performance by Benchley. [66], In 1960, Benchley was posthumously inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a motion pictures star at 1724 Vine Street.[67]. R.B. All rights reserved. WebRobert Benchley met Gertrude Darling in high school in Worcester. Robert's older brother, Edmund, was rushed to the Spanish-American War days after graduation from West Point (1898), and was a casualty almost immediately. From Toronto Leacock closely followed the increasing body of Benchley's published humor and wit, and opened correspondence between them. Does the garage still exist? The resulting film, How to Sleep, was filmed in two days, and it featured Benchley as both the narrator and sleeperthe latter a role Benchley claimed was "not much of a strain, as [he] was in bed most of the time. I remember a garage loft just across the street where the Benchley did his writing. 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. His family opted for a private funeral service, and his body was cremated and interred in a family plot on the island of Nantucket.Altman, 352362. [45] The column, titled "Books and Other Things," ran for one year and roved beyond literature to mundane topics such as Bricklaying in Modern Practice. . (from Wikipedia). Benchley is best remembered for his contributions to The New Yorker, where his essays, whether topical or absurdist, influenced many modern humorists. 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. with Deanna Durbin, noteworthy for a rare dramatic performance by Benchley. He married his childhood sweetheart, Gertrude Darling, in 1914. His humor and style began to reveal themselves 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. Occasionally he is referred to, in passing, as the grandfather of Peter Benchley, the author of ''Jaws.'' 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. 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. 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. His contract concluded with only four short films completed and no chance of signing another contract. [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. [50], With the emergence of The New Yorker, Benchley was able to stay away from Hollywood work for a number of years. (New York City: Athena Books, 1989. The Music Box Revue opened in September 1921 and ran until September 1922, with Benchley appearing in his eleven-minute turn eight times a week (evening performances on Monday through Saturday and matinees on Wednesday and Saturday). [5] 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. Then he invited my dad to bring my mom to the island for a visit. Every boy should have a dog, for a dog teaches a boy three valuable . Select this result to view Robert Steven Benchley's phone number, address, and more. Although he was a great gag writer and parodist, Benchley's forte was personal essays on ''simple everyday things'' like trying to get information from telephone operators, listening to ''Turkey in the Straw'' or looking in the mirror to discover that you resembled Wimpy one day and Wallace Beery the next. Though Mr. Altman recounts all the stories, he hardly ever tries to sort out fact from fiction. Nancy and I talked all the way home about how we, too, might live on the island perhaps wintering there, housesitting for the entitled while plying our crafts. While he completed his year's work, his condition continued to deteriorate, and Benchley died in a New York hospital on November 21, 1945. third class in Bulgaria. Unfortunately, the story he tells, though not much different from the one Nathaniel Benchley gave us 40 years ago, is blander and less witty. 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 [88], Posthumously, Benchley's works continue to be released in books such as the 1983 Random House compilation The Best of Robert Benchley,[89] 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.[90]. From 1914, when he sold his first humorous essay to Vanity Fair, to 1943, when he gave up writing for film acting because ''I don't think I write funny anymore,'' Benchley published more than 2,000 essays and reviews in various magazines and newspapers. 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. While the two styles were, at first glance, diametrically opposed, they coexisted in magazines such as Vanity Fair and Life. [9], Robert Benchley met Gertrude Darling in high school in Worcester. 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. WebRobert Benchley Treasurer Director Thomas Chalmers (uncredited) Writer Robert Benchley (uncredited) All cast & crew Production, box office & more at IMDbPro Storyline Edit A club's formal dinner has been completed, and there is a pause in the entertainment so that the assistant treasurer can give the report of the club's finances for the year. In unthinking, stunned reaction, Maria ("Jenny") Benchley cried out "Why couldn't it have been Robert?! [42], Benchley continued to freelance, submitting humor columns to a variety of publications, including Life (where fellow humorist James Thurber believed Benchley's columns were the only reason the magazine was read). On graduating from Harvard, where he had earned a reputation as an extraordinary after-dinner speaker, Benchley held a variety of jobs in publishing, business and social service. traits: fidelity, perseverance and to turn around three times before 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 ice hockey on United States fashion. Nantucket Lighthouses; Museums; Festivals; Biking; Boating, Fishing & Water Sports; Arts; Family & Kid Fun; Theatre, Film, Music, Lectures; Tours; Wellness & [12] 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. 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. Benchley and Parker soon held down one corner of the Algonquin Round Table, that collection of wits whose quips are still repeated. He wrote a biography of his father Robert in 1955. His explanatory note: "I was loafing. This inspired staff at the Tribune magazine to creativity 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. PLEASE NOTE that the "Benchley home" on Nantucket pictured at the link above is not one Robert ever knew: it was purchased by Nathaniel in 1954 (and sold by Peter in 1999, or so); the only piece of property Robert ever owned on Nantucket is the plot at the Prospect Hill cemetery They had a marvelous friendship. ISBN 080570048X). A second son, Robert Benchley, Jr., was born in 1919. The British edition of the book carried a Leacock introduction, and Benchley, for his part in a tribute to Leacock later said he read everything Leacock ever wrote. Robert's older brother, Edmund, was rushed to the Spanish-American War days after graduation from West Point (1898), and was a casualty almost immediately. Upon learning of her termination, Benchley tendered his own resignation. 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. 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.). 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. WebRobert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 November 21, 1945) was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. 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. [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. List of Robert Benchley collections and film appearances, Robert Benchley and the Knights of the Algonquin. 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. This worried Sherwood, as he felt it could jeopardize his forthcoming raise. 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. 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. Mrs. Benchley apologized profoundly and tried hard to atone for the remark. On this day in 1889 the American writer and humourist Robert Benchley was born. 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. "[53] The film was well-received in preview screenings, and promotions took over, with a still from the film being used in Simmons advertisements. 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] Perhaps it is just the fantasy of starving artists. 2. [59], This was followed in 1936 by How to be a Detective. Word of it was published in Time by Alexander Woollcott, who was at a lunch with Benchley, Parker, and others. Jaws author Peter Benchley. Helen is now 103 years old, resting comfortably in an assisted living home in Atlanta. This experience was a poor one, as Brady was extremely difficult to work for. 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. That's what makes it so tough for us outsiders: we have to fight home Campbell Scott portrays Robert Benchley. 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. Please advise, was humorist Robert Benchleys famous telegram to the New Yorker magazine after arriving in Venice. WebRobert Benchley. Benchley died of complications from cirrhosis of the liver in 1945 at the age of 56. 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. But now he has been an islander for a long 1. How to Sleep was named Best Short Subject at the 1935 Academy Awards, while the latter two shorts were not as well received. Rob Benchley was raised in Connecticut and, as a boy, maybe he was one of the entitled ones. He fit the profile. [49] 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. [80], Benchley produced over 600 essays,[81] which were initially compiled in twelve volumes, during his writing career. Benchley was the highly-respected author of many childrens/juvenile books that provided learning for the youthful readers with stories of various animals or through the books historical settings. Very little is known about his childhood as he never related anything but humorous tales about it rather than realities. 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. WebRobert Benchley was an actor who had a successful Hollywood career. May 2003. At the age of 31, Benchley took his first alcoholic drink -- an orange blossom -- and was, Mr. Altman tells us, instantly transformed from a sober, faithful husband and provider into a hopeless alcoholic and serial adulterer. [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. 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 lavish feature-length production China Seas for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, starring Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Wallace Beery, and Rosalind Russell; Benchley's character was a slurring drunk throughout the movie. Robert is related to Allison Renee Benchley and Bryan Thomas Benchley. Benchley tackled issues ranging from careless reporting to European fascism,[54] and the publication flourished. We have The New Yorker published an average of forty-eight Benchley columns per year during the early 1930s. WebRobert Benchley was an actor who had a successful Hollywood career. Also hosted at the American Century Theater. Management attempted to issue "tardy slips" for staff who were late. Mr. Altman, a magazine journalist, builds on the work of his predecessors, filling in some gaps, providing us with some new information. URL accessed May 21, 2007. They were designed to create a contrast between himself and the masses; the character is often befuddled by society and is often neurotic in a "different" waythe 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. Up there with Dorothy Parker, et. Billy Altman, Laughter's Gentle Soul: The Life of Robert Benchley. 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