Bessie Breuer
Encyclopedia
Bessie Breuer was an American
journalist
, novel
ist, writer
, and playwright
.
to Samuel and Julia Freedman. She studied journalism at Missouri State University
and then worked as a reporter for the St. Louis Times in her late teens. She later became an editor for the New York Tribune
, first working as the head of the women's department and then, at the age of 22, becoming the Sunday editor. She left that position to become the national director of magazine publicity for the American Red Cross
at the end of World War I
, and subsequently joined the staff of the Ladies Home Journal. She also contributed articles on feminism
to Harper's Magazine
and the Pictorial Review
.
Part of the expatriate movement, Breuer moved to France
in the early 1920s and began writing fiction under the encouragement of Kay Boyle
and Laurence Vail among others. Her first works of fiction to be published were short stories in Story
and Harper's magazines. In 1925 she married her third husband, the painter Henry Varnum Poor (previously she had been married to Mr. Breuer and Carl Kahler). This third marriage of 45 years standing ended with Poor's death in 1970.
Breuer's first novel Memory of Love (1935) was made into a film in 1939 entitled In Name Only
. The film starred Cary Grant
and Carole Lombard
. Her other novels include The Daughter (1938), The Actress (1955), and Take Care of My Roses (1961). A prolific writer of short stories
, she won four O. Henry Award
s between 1943 and 1947. One of her stories is included in 55 Short Stories from the New Yorker
and a collection of her stories was published, entitled The Bracelet of Wavia Lea and Other Stories (1947). Her only play, Sundown Beach
, premiered on Broadway
in 1948. It was directed by Elia Kazan
.
During World War II
, Breuer worked for the United States Office of War Information
. She also wrote for such periodicals as World's Work
, House Beautiful
, Mademoiselle
, and The New Yorker
until the 1960s. She died at the age of 81 at her home in New City, New York
. She had two children, Peter and Anne, and three grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
ist, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
.
Biography
Breuer was born with the name Bessie Freedman in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
to Samuel and Julia Freedman. She studied journalism at Missouri State University
Missouri State University
Missouri State University is a public university located in Springfield, Missouri, United States and founded in 1905. It is the state's second largest university, with an official enrollment of 20,802 in fall 2011...
and then worked as a reporter for the St. Louis Times in her late teens. She later became an editor for the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
, first working as the head of the women's department and then, at the age of 22, becoming the Sunday editor. She left that position to become the national director of magazine publicity for the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
at the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and subsequently joined the staff of the Ladies Home Journal. She also contributed articles on feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
to Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
and the Pictorial Review
Pictorial Review
Pictorial Review is a magazine which first appeared in September, 1899. The magazine was originally designed to showcase dress patterns of William Paul Ahnelt's American Fashion Company. By the late 1920s it was one of the largest of the "women's magazines"....
.
Part of the expatriate movement, Breuer moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the early 1920s and began writing fiction under the encouragement of Kay Boyle
Kay Boyle
Kay Boyle was an American writer, educator, and political activist.- Early years :The granddaughter of a publisher, Kay Boyle was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and grew up in several cities but principally in Cincinnati, Ohio...
and Laurence Vail among others. Her first works of fiction to be published were short stories in Story
Story (magazine)
Story was a magazine founded in 1931 by journalist-editor Whit Burnett and his first wife, Martha Foley, in Vienna, Austria. Showcasing short stories by new authors, 67 copies of the debut issue were mimeographed in Vienna, and two years later, Story moved to New York City where Burnett and Foley...
and Harper's magazines. In 1925 she married her third husband, the painter Henry Varnum Poor (previously she had been married to Mr. Breuer and Carl Kahler). This third marriage of 45 years standing ended with Poor's death in 1970.
Breuer's first novel Memory of Love (1935) was made into a film in 1939 entitled In Name Only
In Name Only
In Name Only is a 1939 romantic film starring Cary Grant, Carole Lombard and Kay Francis. It was based on the 1935 novel Memory of Love by Bessie Breuer.-Plot:...
. The film starred Cary Grant
Cary Grant
Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
and Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
. Her other novels include The Daughter (1938), The Actress (1955), and Take Care of My Roses (1961). A prolific writer of short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, she won four O. Henry Award
O. Henry Award
The O. Henry Award is the only yearly award given to short stories of exceptional merit. The award is named after the American master of the form, O. Henry....
s between 1943 and 1947. One of her stories is included in 55 Short Stories from the New Yorker
55 Short Stories from the New Yorker
55 Short Stories from the New Yorker is a literary anthology of short fiction first published in The New Yorker magazine from the years 1940 through 1949.-Story content:...
and a collection of her stories was published, entitled The Bracelet of Wavia Lea and Other Stories (1947). Her only play, Sundown Beach
Sundown Beach
Sundown Beach is a 1948 play in two acts by American playwright Bessie Breuer. The play opened on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre on September 7, 1948, closing after seven performances on September 11, 1948. The cast notably included Julie Harris who won a Theatre World Award for her portrayal of...
, premiered on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1948. It was directed by Elia Kazan
Elia Kazan
Elia Kazan was an American director and actor, described by the New York Times as "one of the most honored and influential directors in Broadway and Hollywood history". Born in Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, to Greek parents originally from Kayseri in Anatolia, the family emigrated...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Breuer worked for the United States Office of War Information
United States Office of War Information
The United States Office of War Information was a U.S. government agency created during World War II to consolidate government information services. It operated from June 1942 until September 1945...
. She also wrote for such periodicals as World's Work
World's Work
World's Work was a monthly magazine which celebrated the American way of life and its expanded role on the world stage. In 1932 it was purchased by and merged into the journal Review of Reviews. It was founded in 1900 and edited by Walter Hines Page until 1913 when his son Arthur W...
, House Beautiful
House Beautiful
House Beautiful is an interior decorating magazine that focuses on decorating and the domestic arts. First published in 1896, it is currently published by the Hearst Corporation, who purchased it in 1934...
, Mademoiselle
Mademoiselle (magazine)
Mademoiselle was an influential women's magazine first published in 1935 by Street and Smith and later acquired by Condé Nast Publications....
, and The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
until the 1960s. She died at the age of 81 at her home in New City, New York
New City, New York
New City is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States, part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The hamlet is a suburb of New York City, located 18 miles north of the city at the closest point, Riverdale, The Bronx...
. She had two children, Peter and Anne, and three grandchildren.
External links
- Bessie Breuer Papers, 1926-1972 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Special Collections Research Center