Gene Fowler

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Gene Fowler was an American journalist, author and dramatist. He was born Eugene Devlan in Denver, Colorado in 1890 and died in Los Angeles, California in 1960. When his mother remarried, young Gene took his step-father's name to become Gene Fowler. Fowler's career had a false start in taxidermy, which he later claimed permanently gave him a distaste for red meat. After a year at the University of Colorado, he took a job with The Denver Post. His assignments included an interview with frontiersman and Wild West Show promoter Buffalo Bill Cody. He established his trademark impertinence by questioning Cody about his many love affairs.

Subsequently, Fowler worked for the New York Daily Mirror, and then became newspaper syndication manager for King Features. His later work included over a dozen screenplays, mostly written in the 1930s, and a number of books including biographies and memoirs.

During his years in Hollywood, Fowler became close to such celebrities as John Barrymore and W.C. Fields. (Fields, whose animus toward children is legendary, claimed that Gene Fowler's sons were the only children he could stand.) He wrote a biography of Barrymore, Good Night, Sweet Prince (1944).

In 1916, Fowler married Agnes Hubbard who bore three children, the eldest of whom was Gene Fowler Jr. (1917-1998), a prominent Holywood film editor (whose work included It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and Hang 'Em High) and a sometime director (1959's I Was a Teenage Werewolf as well as numerous television programs).

Contents

[edit] Screenplays

Fowler wrote or co-wrote screenplays for the following movies (partial list).

Other of his works that became the basis for films include his stage play The Great Magoo, which was filmed as Shoot the Works (1934), and the book, Beau James: The Life & Times of Jimmy Walker, which was the basis for Beau James (1957).

[edit] Anecdotes

Fowler was the subject of many colorful anecdotes. One told by his son, Will, concerns a scene outside of John Barrymore's hospital room in May 1942.

A stranger entered the waiting room where [John] Decker and Fowler were sitting with reporters. "I am a healer," cried the stranger. "Just give me three minutes with Mr. Barrymore and I will cure him!" There was a moment of silence until Fowler arose, snatched the seemingly demented fellow by the scruff of his collar and threw him down the stairs, calling after him, "Physician, heal thyself!"

[edit] Memorable Quotations

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Fowler authored many witticisms both spoken and written. Two regarding the art of writing might suffice:

  • "Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."
  • "The best way to become a successful writer is to read good writing, remember it, and then forget where you remember it from."

[edit] Sources

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