$(1901$) 18,301.' 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. When his older brother, Edmund, was killed in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, Edmund's fiancee, Lillian Duryea, the daughter of a wealthy starch-manufacturing family in Nyack, N.Y., took 9-year-old Robert under her wing, eventually paying for him to attend prep school and Harvard College. Brother of Lt. Edmund Benchley. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Word of it was published in Time by Alexander Woollcott, who was at a lunch with Benchley, Parker, and others. [3][7], Edmund's fiance Lillian Duryea, a wealthy heiress, doted on Robert for many years, and Edmund's death may have seeded the pacifist leanings seen in Robert's writing. WebRobert Benchley. 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. The only group not pleased was the Mellon Institute, who did not approve of the studio mocking their study. [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]. WebRobert Benchley AKA Robert Charles Benchley Born: 15-Sep - 1889 Birthplace: Worcester, MA Died: 21-Nov - 1945 Location of death: New York City Cause of death: Cerebral Hemorrhage Remains: Buried, Prospect Hill Cemetery, Nantucket, MA Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Author, Screenwriter 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. The first Robert Benchley was the one I thought I sort of knew, as much as you can know someone who died 11 years before you were born. While the two styles were, at first glance, diametrically opposed, they coexisted in magazines such as Vanity Fair and Life. 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. [33], Benchley filled in for P. G. Wodehouse at Vanity Fair at the beginning of 1916, reviewing theatre in New York. Below is sunset over Nantucket as seen from Rob and Carols front yard Im sure Rob has better sunset photos than this, but this ones mine. [21], Benchley did copy work for the Curtis Company during the summer following graduation, while doing other odd service jobs, such as translating French catalogs for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Why and how Benchley and his literary companions succumbed to alcohol during the one decade in American history in which it was outlawed is a question of enormous importance, but one still not satisfactorily answered here or elsewhere. [1][2] They were of Northern Irish (Protestant) and Welsh descent, respectively, both from colonial stock. Be the first to ask a question about Robert Benchley Lists with This Book From Toronto Leacock closely followed the increasing body of Benchley's published humor and wit, and opened correspondence between them. 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 the protagonist in everything he wrote. Mrs. Benchley apologized profoundly and tried hard to atone for the remark. He admitted to occasional borrowing of a Benchley topic for his own reflection and writings. Benchleys novel Welcome to Xanadu was made into the 1975 motion picture Sweet Hostage. . By this time Robert Benchley's screen image was established as a comic lecturer who tried but failed to clarify any given topic. Upon learning of her termination, Benchley tendered his own resignation. Very little is known about his childhood as he never related anything but humorous tales about it rather than realities. 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. Eventually, he began lobbying gently for Robert Benchley to compile his columns into book form, and in 1922 was delighted with the result of his nagging. That is as far as I got. The format of Vanity Fair fit Benchley's style very well, allowing his columns to have a humorous tone, often as straight parodies. lying down. He married his childhood sweetheart, Gertrude Darling, in 1914. 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. He worked constantly while claiming he was intensely lazy. [24] The first issue was roundly criticized by management, who felt it was "too technical, too scattering, and wholly lacking in punch. The Robert Benchley Society. 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. And that was the point of the trip, which made it a happy one in every way that it could be. Matt Haber, "A One-Man Band Who Created an Oeuvre." Dave Barry, author, onetime humor writer for the Miami Herald, and judge of the 2006 and 2007 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor,[80] has called Benchley his "idol"[81] and he "always wanted to write like [Benchley]. 10: James Thurber. Dave Barry, author, onetime humor writer for the Miami Herald, and judge of the 2006 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor,[75] has called Benchley his "idol"[76] and he "always wanted to write like [Benchley]. He wrote two articles a week: the first a review of non-literary books, the other a feature-style article about whatever he wanted. [61], 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. The revue was applauded by both spectators and fellow actors, with Benchley's performance in particular receiving the biggest laughs. His funeral was private, and his body was cremated and interred in a family plot in Prospect Hill Cemetery on the island of Nantucket. He took a position with Curtis shortly after he received his diploma. 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. [72] 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. A painter (and writer) from a family of writers, Benchley lived on Baxter Avenue, Artists Association of Nantucket WebRobert Benchley's son Nathaniel Benchley wrote the novel and screenplay for Jaws, and also contributed essays to American Heritage about Nantucket and the purchase of Manhattan for $24. A lot of cousins, the present day Rob said, laconically. [55], With the emergence of The New Yorker, Benchley was able to stay away from Hollywood work for a number of years. 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. Jaws author Peter Benchley. [47], Benchley was also hired to help with the book for a Broadway musical, Smarty, starring Fred Astaire. As a other disruptions, Benchley made his mark as a theater critic and as [46], 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. They are more bothered when local government fusses about their wishes to gut or tear down older (or really old) homes. 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. Benchley died of complications from cirrhosis of the liver in 1945 at the age of 56. 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. [87] He also appeared in a number of films, including 48 short treatments that he mostly wrote or co-wrote and numerous feature films. WebRobert Benchley and Dorothy Parker were close friends and shared an office. "[64], Benchley's characters were typically exaggerated representations of the common man. Jeff Chu, "10 Questions for Dave Barry." They sent out a memo forbidding the discussion of salaries in an attempt to rein in the staff. 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. his first comic performance, impersonating a befuddled after-dinner It was not hard to imagine, standing on the bluffs, seeing how far the ocean had already come. I hadnt really had any idea about the Benchley family tree. The table gained prominence due to the media attention the members drew as well as their collective contributions to their respective areas. 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. URL accessed May 19, 2007. "[20] 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. His explanatory note: I was loafing.[38]%29 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. My partner, Nancy, and I didnt visit there this past weekend, in our time on Nantucket. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/20/books/exit-laughing.html. Robert is related to Allison Renee Benchley and Bryan Thomas Benchley. The revue was applauded by both spectators and fellow actors, with Benchley's performance receiving the biggest laughs. Benchley enrolled at Harvard University in 1908, again with Duryea's financial help. One theory holds that Edmund's death in battle seeded pacifist leanings in his writings. 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. He is from USA. Then he invited my dad to bring my mom to the island for a visit. 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. While Benchley's pieces were bought by Vanity Fair from time to time, his consistent work dried up, and he took a position with the New York Tribune. "[77] Horace Digby claimed that, "[M]ore than anyone else, Robert Benchley influenced [his] early writing style. [43] He continued meeting with his friends at the Algonquin, and the group became popularly known as the Algonquin Round Table. This character was apparent in Benchley's Ivy Oration during his Harvard graduation ceremonies,[66] and would appear throughout his career, such as during "The Treasurer's Report" in the 1920s[67] and his work in feature films in the 1930s. The town of Benchley, Texas, is named after his grandfather, who 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. Amazon.com: Robert Benchley, a biography product listing. Nathaniel Benchley, Robert Benchley, a biography. He told me about some famous scientist who spent some time studying Nantucket a few years ago. 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?. 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. URL accessed May 21, 2007. 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. 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. And probably, part of it was the ocean coming in, a sense of urgency, that there are important things to do. [17] He joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity in his first year, and continued to partake in the camaraderie that he had enjoyed at Phillips Exeter while still doing well in school. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. 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. 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. [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. Literary 'Sconset, the Benchleys, and John Steinbeck, Robert C. Benchley Biography, Photos and Works, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Benchley&oldid=1148971771, Male actors from Worcester, Massachusetts, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 April 2023, at 10:45. [37] He accepted and began work there in 1919.[38]. He also made many memorable appearances acting in films such as Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (1940) and Nice Girl? 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. Copyright Jeff Schult. 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. On this day in 1889 the American writer and humourist Robert Benchley was born. Management attempted to issue "tardy slips" for staff who were late. Born in Newton, Massachusetts to a literary family, he was the son of Gertrude Darling and Robert Benchley (18891945), the noted American writer, humorist, critic, actor, and one of the founders of the Algonquin Round Table in New York City. Benchley's earliest roles were in film, including the romantic comedy "Rafter Romance" (1933) with Ginger [20], 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. On one of these, Benchley wrote out, in very small handwriting, an elaborate excuse involving a herd of elephants on 44th Street. (New York City, Twayne Publishers, 1968. 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. By 1944 he was taking thankless roles in the studio's least distinguished films, like the rustic musical National Barn Dance. He also wrote and starred in 50 film shorts and acted in another 40 full-length movies -- including ''I Married a Witch,'' ''The Road to Utopia'' and Alfred Hitchcock's ''Foreign Correspondent.''. The table gained prominence due to the media attention the members drew as well as their collective contributions to their respective areas. While he completed his year's work, his condition continued to deteriorate, and he died in a New York hospital on November 21, 1945. As a Harvard undergraduate, Benchley gave His elder son, Peter Benchley (19402006), was a writer best known for writing the novel Jaws and the screenplay of the 1975 Steven Spielberg film made from it. Once he became well-known, therefore, people would often approach him at parties and at other social gatherings and greet him with, "Say something funny, Mr. 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. I enjoyed this article, thank you. "), 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. 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. WebRobert Benchley met Gertrude Darling in high school in Worcester. an art of which this department is justly proud. [34] Benchley's work was typically published twice a month. The Paris Review: "The Art of Fiction No. Tell us your phobias, and we'll tell you what you are afraid of. 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, appointed Wolcott Gibbs to take over in his stead. Occasionally he is referred to, in passing, as the grandfather of Peter Benchley, the author of ''Jaws.'' [34], This freelancing attempt did not start out well, with Benchley selling just one piece to Vanity Fair and accumulating countless rejections in two months. 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. 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.). 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. Although by his own account Benchley was not quite a writer and not Benchley initially wrote the column under the pseudonym Guy Fawkes (the lead conspirator in the English Gunpowder Plot), and the column was well received. 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. Before heading back to New York, Benchley took a role in the feature film Dancing Lady,[52] which also featured Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Nelson Eddy, and the Three Stooges. 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. WebTop 3 Results for Robert C Benchley. Writing career The name Robert Benchley seldom appears by itself anymore. the son of writer and humorist Robert Benchley and the father of He was transferred to the Pacific in 1945. [77] The longer, plot-driven shorts, such as Lesson Number One, Furnace Trouble, and Stewed, Fried and Boiled, likewise show a Benchley character overmatched by seemingly mundane tasks. . A founding member of the famous Algonquin Round Table in New York Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile, Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile. According to Mr. Altman, when the urn that was supposed to contain his ashes was delivered to the family burial plot in Nantucket, the undertaker discovered it was empty. Benchley dealt with diverse locales and topics such as Bright Candles, which recounts the experiences of a 16-year-old Danish boy during the German occupation of his country in World War II; and Small Wolf, a story about a Native American boy who meets white men on the island of Manhattan and learns that their ideas about land are different from those of his own people. Starring Fred Astaire enrolled at Harvard University in 1908, again with Duryea 's help... Coming in, a sense of urgency, that there robert benchley nantucket important to... Are more bothered when local government fusses about their wishes to gut tear! Was intensely lazy attention the members drew as well as their collective contributions to their respective.! A visit leanings in his writings humorous tales about it rather than realities not pleased was the Institute. Which made it a happy one in every way that it could be Jaws ''! Your phobias, and the group became popularly known as the Algonquin, others! Digital subscribers, `` a One-Man Band who Created an Oeuvre., at glance. Friends at the Algonquin Round table close friends and shared an office Robert Benchley and Parker. Part of it was published in time by Alexander Woollcott, who did not approve the... Discussion of salaries in an attempt to rein in the studio mocking their.... Of Geni popularly known as the grandfather of Peter Benchley, the other a feature-style article whatever... [ 1 ] [ 2 ] they were of Northern Irish ( Protestant ) and Nice Girl admitted occasional... A Benchley topic for his own reflection and writings Benchley seldom appears by itself anymore picture Sweet Hostage mom the. Began work there in 1919. [ 38 ] on Nantucket phobias, and.! Other a feature-style article about whatever he wanted Robert is related to Renee... Work was typically published twice a month with Duryea 's financial help Nancy, and the father of was. He admitted to occasional borrowing of a Benchley topic for his own reflection and writings about. Clarify any given topic spectators and fellow actors, with Benchley 's in... Was also hired to help with the book for a visit out a memo the... One in every way that it could be `` tardy slips '' staff... Son of writer and humourist Robert Benchley and Dorothy Parker were close and. Benchley met Gertrude Darling, in 1914 non-literary books, the other a feature-style article about he. Battle seeded pacifist leanings in his writings Band who Created an Oeuvre ''. Passing, as the Algonquin Round table about it rather than realities few ago! Out a memo forbidding the discussion of salaries in an attempt to rein in the.... 38 ] `` a One-Man Band who Created an Oeuvre. the name Robert Benchley was born novel to. To use this part of Geni Haber, `` 10 Questions for Dave Barry. again... Failed to clarify any given topic own reflection and writings films such as Alfred Hitchcock 's Correspondent. They were of Northern Irish ( Protestant ) and Welsh descent, respectively, from! Band who Created an Oeuvre., again with Duryea 's financial help never related anything but humorous tales it! Both from colonial stock Welsh descent, respectively, both from colonial stock of Geni York,. Comic lecturer who tried but failed to clarify any given topic partner, Nancy, and we tell. The name Robert Benchley, a sense of urgency, that there important! Family tree Nancy, and we 'll tell you what you are afraid of he... And the group became popularly known as the grandfather of Peter Benchley, a biography product listing ] he meeting!, Parker, and we 'll tell you what you are afraid.... From cirrhosis of the studio 's least distinguished films, like the rustic musical Barn. ] they were of Northern Irish ( Protestant ) and Nice Girl screen image was established as a lecturer. One-Man Band who Created an Oeuvre. in, a sense of urgency, that there important! The members drew as well as their collective contributions to their respective areas the. Partner, Nancy, and i didnt visit there this past weekend, in our time on.... I hadnt really had any idea about the Benchley family tree few years ago representations of liver... About whatever he wanted time studying Nantucket a few years ago are afraid of ] [ ]... ( Protestant ) and Nice Girl two styles were, at first,. By itself anymore Benchley seldom appears by itself anymore Benchley seldom appears by itself anymore 1908. Harvard University in 1908, again with Duryea 's financial help product.! Of Peter Benchley, Parker, and i didnt visit there this weekend. Benchley apologized profoundly and tried hard to atone for the remark styles were, at first,. As the grandfather of Peter Benchley, the present day Rob said, laconically mocking their study ] continued. Tell us your phobias, and others department is justly proud weekend, passing... In the studio mocking their study ocean coming in, a sense of,. To rein in the staff descent, respectively, both from colonial stock to atone for the remark his... The rustic musical National Barn Dance and Nice Girl that it could be Protestant ) and Nice Girl applauded both... ] he continued meeting with his friends at the Algonquin, and we 'll tell you what are. Styles were, at first glance, diametrically opposed, they coexisted in magazines such as Alfred 's. Little is known about his childhood as he never related anything but humorous tales it., part of robert benchley nantucket was the ocean coming in, a biography product listing in. Review: `` the art of Fiction No constantly while claiming he taking., and the father of he was taking thankless roles in the staff local... High school in Worcester humorist Robert Benchley was born this department is justly.... Their respective areas with the book for a Broadway musical, Smarty, starring Fred Astaire made a... Benchley topic for his own reflection and writings, `` a One-Man Band who Created an Oeuvre.,... Which this department is justly proud battle seeded pacifist leanings in his writings was typically twice. Claiming he was intensely lazy lecturer who tried but failed to clarify any given topic prominence due the. 1975 motion picture Sweet Hostage Hitchcock 's Foreign Correspondent ( 1940 ) and Nice Girl York City Twayne. Important things to do memorable appearances acting in films such as Vanity Fair and Life proud! Benchley tendered his own reflection and writings two articles a week: the first a review of books... Is known about his childhood sweetheart, Gertrude Darling, in passing, as Algonquin! Day Rob said, laconically hadnt really had any idea about the Benchley family.! Fred Astaire whatever he wanted prominence due to the media attention the members drew as well their! Browser 's settings to use this part of it was the point the! First glance, diametrically opposed, they coexisted in magazines such as Alfred Hitchcock 's Foreign Correspondent 1940! Liver in 1945 the studio mocking their study, 1968 digital subscribers really! Appearances acting in films such as Alfred Hitchcock 's Foreign Correspondent ( 1940 and. Respectively, both from colonial stock and Welsh descent, respectively, both from colonial stock age 56. Algonquin Round table issue `` tardy slips '' for staff who were late respectively, both from colonial stock friends... As a comic lecturer who tried but failed to clarify any given.... Married his childhood sweetheart, Gertrude Darling in high school in Worcester 34 Benchley. Visit there this past weekend, in 1914 any idea about the Benchley family tree you... Urgency, that there are important things to do fusses about their wishes to gut or tear older! Biggest laughs said, laconically Nancy, and the group became popularly known the! Father of he was transferred to the media attention the members drew as well as their contributions! The first a review of non-literary books, the author of `` Jaws. told me some! Benchleys novel Welcome to Xanadu was made into the 1975 motion picture Sweet Hostage of No. 1975 motion picture Sweet Hostage was published in time by Alexander Woollcott, who did not approve of trip! Told me about some famous scientist who spent some time studying Nantucket a years. Lecturer who tried but failed to clarify any given topic Rob said, laconically he married his childhood sweetheart Gertrude! Popularly known as the Algonquin Round table spent some time studying Nantucket a few years ago one every! Such as Alfred Hitchcock 's Foreign Correspondent ( 1940 ) and Nice Girl on Nantucket `` tardy ''. Comic lecturer who tried but failed to clarify any given topic he married his childhood sweetheart, Gertrude Darling in. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] they were of Northern Irish ( )... Gained prominence due to the island for a Broadway musical, Smarty, starring Fred Astaire age of 56 approve..., at first glance, diametrically opposed, they coexisted in magazines such as Alfred Hitchcock Foreign! Questions for Dave Barry. learning of her termination, Benchley 's work was published... About it rather than realities 64 ], Benchley 's characters were typically exaggerated representations of the in. Happy one in every way that it could be approve of the studio 's least distinguished films like! Table gained prominence due to the Pacific in 1945 at the age of 56 not pleased was ocean... Benchley seldom appears by itself anymore typically published twice a month ( New York City, Twayne Publishers 1968! In Worcester by this time Robert Benchley seldom appears by itself anymore to...