Dorothy Parker

Early Life

Born August 22, 1893 in West End, New Jersey

Parents Father: Jacob Henry Rothschild (Jewish)

Died in 1913 (one year after her uncle Henry died on the Titanic)

Mother: Elizabeth Rothschild (Scottish)Died when Dorothy was 4 years old

Father remarried Eleanor Lewis in 1900

Family Problems•It is said that Parker was “a late and unexpected arrival in a loveless family.”

•Detested father and stepmother

•Accused father of being physically abusive

•Referred to Eleanor as “the housekeeper”

Attended private schools New JerseyNew York City

Formal education ended at age 14

Education

1911 moved to New York City and lived in a boarding house, playing piano at a dance school to earn wages

At age 21 began submitting writings to various magazines and papers

Poem “Any Porch” was accepted and published by Vanity Fair

She was paid $12 for this poem

Early Work

Hired by Vogue, a sister publication of Vanity Fair

While working and Vogue, submissions to Vanity Fair continued to be published

She worked 2 years at Vogue then moved to Vanity Fair in 1917worked as drama critic

While at Vanity Fair she became New York’s only female drama critic at the time

Vogue & Vanity Fair

Parker was fired from the magazine in 1921 due to increasingly sarcastic and unfavorable reviews

To earn money she began writing subtitles for a movie by D.W. Griffith

Vogue & Vanity Fair

In 1917 Dorothy married Edwin Parker, a New York City stock broker

Dorothy was now referred to as Mrs. Dorothy Parker

Marriage

1919 invited to the Algonquin Hotel because of her connection at Vanity Fair and her reputation as a drama critic

This was the beginning of the famous Algonquin Round Table

This group was a renowned intellectual library circleknown for its “scathing with and intellectual commentary”

Mrs. Parker was the only female founding member

Other members: Robert Benchley, James Thurber, Robert Sherwood, George Kaufman, Harpo Marx, and Edna Ferber among many others.

Algonquin Hotel

Algonquin Hotel

In 1922 she published her 1st story, “Such a Pretty Little Picture” for Smart SetThis marked the beginning of her literary

careerIn January of 1924 she moved into the

Algonquin Hotel after divorcing her husband Edwin

She began writing plays“Close Harmony” was her first

Literary Career

1925 the 1st issue of the New Yorker was published and Parker contributed drama reviews, fiction, and poetry for the first few issues.

Used the pen name “Constant Reader”1926 she set off for Paris but continued

writing for the New YorkerParker befriended Earnest Hemingway while

in France

1929- Short story “The Big Blonde” published

Won O. Henry award for the best short story of the year

Began writing screenplays in HollywoodMoved to Hollywood because of need for

money and was offered a contract by MGMWrote many screenplays over the next

decade “Laments for the Living”- 1930 collected

fiction came out

1933- Once again traveled to Europe and met her 2nd husband Alan CampbellScottish-Jewish decentRumored bisexualThe two became screen writing partners

and signed a contract with Paramount Pictures in 1935

1937- Dorothy won an Academy Award for her joint screenplay of “A Star is Born”

In 1926 Parker’s 1st book of poetry “Enough Rope” was published and received favorable reviews and became a bestseller

Poetry

Résumé

Razors pain you; Rivers are damp; Acids stain you; And drugs cause cramp.

Guns aren't lawful; Nooses give; Gas smell awful; You might as well live.

MenThey hail you as their morning starBecause you are the way you are.If you return the sentiment,They'll try to make you different;And once they have you, safe and sound,They want to change you all around.Your moods and ways they put a curse on;They'd make of you another person.They cannot let you go your gait;They influence and educate.They'd alter all that they admired.They make me sick, they make me tired.

Sunset Gun- 1928Death & Taxes-1931

Other Collections

In 1927 she became very involved in the Sacco and Vanzetti trial

Traveled to Boston to join protests against the execution of two innocent men

During protest she was arrested but refused to travel in the “Paddy Wagon”. Parker insisted on walking to jail. She eventually pleaded guilty to charges of loitering and sauntering and paid a $5 fine.

From this moment on she was a committed socialist

Politics

Somewhere in the mix of Parker’s work and political problems, Dorothy and Edwin remarried. However, in 1928, the marriage once again ended in a divorce

This divorce was caused by many affairs committed by Dorothy, including that of Charles MacArthur

This affair resulted in a pregnancy that was quickly aborted

Parker is quoted, speaking of her love affairs, “How like me, to put all my eggs in one bastard.”

The mix of these issues sparked depression for Parker which caused her 1st suicide attempt

Hard Times

1950sCalled before the House of un-American Activities and

pleaded the first instead of the fifthRefused to name any names1952-1953, testimony was given against her before the HUAC

1957-1963- worked as a book reviewer for Esquire magazine

1959- inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters

A distinguished visiting Professor of English at California State College in L.A.

1964- published her final magazine piece in November’s issue of Esquire.

1950s-1960s

June 7, 1967- found dead of a heart attack in her room at the Hotel Volney in New York City.

Left entire literary estate to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation. After his death, the estate was passed on to the NAACP.

Death

The NAACP retrieved Dorothy’s ashes from her lawyer and created a memorial garden at its national headquarters on October 20, 1988. The memorial site, a brick circular emblem lies amid a small grove of pine trees. Appropriately, the emblem cites Parker's own witty epitaph, "Excuse My Dust."

The plaque reads," Here lie the ashes of Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967) humorist, writer, critic. Defender of human and civil rights. For her epitaph she suggested, 'Excuse my dust'. This memorial garden is dedicated to her noble spirit which celebrated the oneness of humankind and to the bonds of everlasting friendship between black and Jewish people. Dedicated by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. October 28, 1988.”

Parker became famous for her short and viciously humorous poems.

These poems were mainly about the ludicrousness of her many unsuccessful romantic affairs.

Many other poems contain the appeal of suicide.

Parker never considered these poems to be her most important works.