Maury Henry Biddle Paul | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1890-04-14)April 14, 1890 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | July 17, 1942(1942-07-17) (aged 52) New York City, US |
| Resting place | Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Park North Cemetery and Mausoleum |
| Other names | Cholly Knickerbocker |
| Education | Episcopal Academy |
| Alma mater | University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Years active | 1914–1942 |
Maury Henry Biddle Paul (April 14, 1890 – July 17, 1942) was an American journalist who became famous as asociety columnist for theNew York American (which became theNew York Journal-American in 1937 when it merged with theNew York Evening Journal). Writing under the pseudonym "Cholly Knickerbocker", he coined the term "Café Society".[1] The name "Cholly Knickerbocker" was owned by theHearst Newspaper Syndicate, and Paul was the first, writing under thenom de plume from 1917 until his death in 1942.
Paul was born inPhiladelphia to William Henry Paul and the former Eleanor Virginia Biddle, who were members of theSocial Register. He was a member of the Sons of the Revolution and the Society of the War of 1812. He attended theEpiscopal Academy and later graduated from theUniversity of Pennsylvania. In 1914, he began his career as a newspaperman at thePhiladelphia Times. His apprenticeship was brief, and he was soon hired by theNew York Press as society editor. In 1917, he moved to Hearst'sNew York American, where he took over the "Cholly Knickerbocker" gossip column that focused on members ofhigh society.[2]
In addition to coining the phrase "Cafe Society" to describe the people who frequented tony night clubs and expensive restaurants, Maury Paul also invented the expression "The Old Guard" (frequently known as "the Four Hundred") for the venerable New York families.[3][failed verification] Paul focused on the very well-born and extremely rich. In addition to his daily column, each week he wrote three features for the Sunday edition of theAmerican. In 1937, theEvening Journal merged with theAmerican to become theNew York Journal-American.Paul’s column and features were carried by the more than 60 newspapers of the Hearst syndicate.
On July 17, 1942, Paul died of an illness caused by a heart condition at his New York City home. He was 52 years old. He was succeeded as Cholly Knickerbocker byIgor Cassini.[3] His funeral was held on July 20 atSt. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church inManhattan. His remains were later shipped to Florida and interred at theCaballero Rivero Woodlawn Park North Cemetery and Mausoleum inMiami where Paul owned a summer home.[4] His biography,Champagne Cholly, was written by his secretary, Eve Brown.[5]