August 22 – Happy Birthday, Ray Bradbury and Dorothy Parker

nPostednon August 22, 2015

nTodaynI want to talk a bit about two American writers.

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Thenolder of the two, Dorothy Parker, was on this date in 1893. She grewnup (in New York City!) to write poems, short stories, andnscreenplays. She was also a critic and was well known for her satirenand other witty writing. n

nParkernwas a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table – a group ofnwriters and guests who met almost daily for lunch at the AlgonquinnHotel. She won two Academy Awards – one for writing the screenplaynfor A Star Is Born – and she won the prestigious O. HenrynAward for one of her short stories.

nSo,nshe was successful.

nButnshe is perhaps even more famous for getting involved with politicalnmovements, and she promoted cicil liberties and civil rightsnmovements. She helped to start up the Hollywood Anti-Nazi Leaguenbefore World War II, and she worked against Fascism in Spain, too,nheading the Spanish Children’s Relief and Project Rescue Ship.nActually, I cannot list all of the causes she worked on and leant hernname to – there were a lot!

Allnthat political action made her suspect to some. The FBI startednwatching her, and Parker was considered to be a Communist by somenconservative forces in the U.S. We’re talking the McCarthy era, here:na time when people could just accuse you – without evidence! – ofnbeing a “Commie” and end up ruining your career. Dorothy Parkernended up being on the Hollywood blacklist for her political views.

nWhennParker died, at age 73, she left all her money to Dr. Martin LuthernKing, Jr. When he died, her money was passed on to the NAACP, annorganization that works for civil rights for people of color.
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See also Is This A Space Ship In Egypt?

I bet, when Parker wrote that, she was thinking
of ugliness as racism, misogyny, and other
forms of bigotry!

nBradburynwas born several decades after Parker, on this date in 1920, innIllinois. Bradbury also lived in Tucson, Arizona, and Los Angeles,nCalifornia – reaching L.A. when Bradbury was 14 years old.

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Bradburynwas excited to live in L.A., because he adored Hollywood. He joinedndrama club at high school, and he often roller-skated throughnHollywood, hoping to meet celebrities. n

nWell,nyoung Bradbury-on-skates DID see stars! He even got to meet a few. nOne was George Burns, who was a famous comedian and entertainer whondid vaudeville, movies, radio, and TV, working steadily for more thann75 years! As a matter of fact, Bradbury’s first job as a writer wasnworking for Burns – and Bradbury got that job right away, at agen14!

nWow-za!

nButnBradbury’s fame didn’t come from comedy writing, but instead fromnwriting science fiction and horror. He’s considered of the greatestnof the greats (although, I have to admit, his fiction is too weirdnand even his sci-fi is too tinged with horror for my taste).

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nSomenof Bradbury’s most famous books are Fahrenheit 451, ThenMartian Chronicles, and The Illustrated Man. n

nInfound it interesting that Bradbury wrote every single day from age 12non. Every. Single. Day! When he made that claim, he had alreadynwritten every single day for 69 years – and he died at age 91, sonI’m not sure, but it is possible that he wrote almost 29 THOUSANDndays in a row!!!

nWow-zanagain!!

nRaynBradbury actually wrote at least one book for kids, too: Switch on the Night.
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