Gene Fowler | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Eugene Devlan (1890-03-08)March 8, 1890 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Died | July 2, 1960(1960-07-02) (aged 70) |
| Occupations | Journalist, author, screenwriter |
| Spouse | Agnes Hubbard |
| Children | 3, includingGene Fowler Jr. |
Gene Fowler (bornEugene Devlan) (March 8, 1890 – July 2, 1960) was an American journalist, author, and dramatist.
Fowler was born inDenver, Colorado, to Dora Grace Wheeler, age 18, and Charles Frances Devlan Jr., age 22. When his mother remarried during his youth, he took his stepfather's name to become Gene Fowler. Fowler's career had a false start in taxidermy, which he later claimed gave him a permanent distaste for red meat. After a year at theUniversity of Colorado, he took a job withThe Denver Post.[1] His assignments included an interview with the frontiersman and Wild West Show promoterBuffalo Bill Cody. He established his trademark impertinence by questioning Cody about his many love affairs. He was also known for his racy, readable content and for the speed of his writing.[2]
He left Denver for Chicago and metBen Hecht andCharles MacArthur.[1] He eventually moved to New York where Fowler worked for theNew York Daily Mirror,New York Evening Journal and as managing editor of theNew York American andThe Morning Telegraph.[2][1] AtThe New York American he worked closely withEddie Doherty, who became a lifelong friend, and whom Fowler promoted to city editor.[3] AtThe Morning Telegraph his staff included Hecht, MacArthur,Ring Lardner,Westbrook Pegler,Martha Ostenso,Walter Winchell andNellie Revell.[1] He was also newspaper syndication manager forKing Features.
He began writing books and his third,The Great Mouthpiece, about the attorneyWilliam J. Fallon, became a bestseller and got him noticed by Hollywood where he became one of the highest paid screenwriters. His work included more than a dozen screenplays, mostly written in the 1930s, includingWhat Price Hollywood? (1932),The Call of the Wild (1935) andBilly the Kid (1941). He collaborated withBess Meredyth on a stage play,The Mighty Barnum, which was laterfilmed, and also with Ben Hecht on the playThe Great Magoo.[2]
During his years inHollywood, Fowler became close to such celebrities asJohn Barrymore andW. C. Fields. Fields, whose animus toward children is legendary, claimed that Fowler's sons were the only children he could stand. He wrote abiography of Barrymore as well asMack Sennett,Jimmy Durante and New York City mayorJimmy Walker.[2]
In 1916, Fowler married Agnes Hubbard, and they had three children, the eldest of whom wasGene Fowler Jr. (1917–1998), a prominent Hollywood film editor (whose work includedIt's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World andHang 'Em High) and a sometime director (1957'sI Was a Teenage Werewolf as well as numerous television programs). Their other children were Jane and Will.[1]
Fowler died inWest Los Angeles, California, aged 70 of aheart attack. Fowler had been writing a book based on his time as a New York newspaperman for over 5 years and had almost completed it before his death.[2][4] The book,Skyline, was published posthumously.
Fowler was the subject of many colorful anecdotes. One told by his son Will, concerns a scene outside ofJohn 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!"
Fowler was present at Barrymore's death, and he claimed (perhaps not seriously) that Barrymore's last words, spoken to Fowler, were: "Is it true that you're the illegitimate son of Buffalo Bill?"
Fowler wrote many witticisms both spoken and written. Two regarding the art of writing might suffice:
He married Agnes Hubbard (1890-1970), the niece ofOmar Nelson Bradley, in 1916. According to journalist Eddie Doherty, who was married toServant of God Catherine Doherty and cofounded theMadonna House Apostolate, Fowler converted to Catholicism while he was writing his 1952 book,My Hay Ain't In.[3] This was confirmed by an article inThe St. Louis Review, the official newspaper of the archdiocese of St. Louis, adding that the date was June 8, 1950.[5] His funeral was atSt. Martin of Tours church in Los Angeles, and he is buried inHoly Cross cemetery.[6]
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 playThe Great Magoo, which was filmed asShoot the Works (1934), and the bookBeau James: The Life & Times of Jimmy Walker, which was the basis forBeau James (1957).
