Edward Anthony (writer)
Encyclopedia
Edward Anthony was a journalist and writer who co-wrote Frank Buck
’s first two books, Bring 'Em Back Alive
, and Wild Cargo
.
in 1920-23. An associate editor for a short time of Judge, the humor magazine, Anthony joined the staff of the Crowell group of magazines, later Crowell-Collier Publishing Company, in 1924. In 1928, he served as Eastern press director for Herbert Hoover
's presidential campaign.
’s three co-authors , Anthony was most talented at imparting immediacy and freshness to Frank Buck’s narrative. Anthony wrote Buck’s stories in a modest, matter-of-fact, all-in-a-day’s-work fashion; yet almost every one has its own breath-catching spice of danger. With his knack for eliciting telling details, Anthony created a real sense of drama, and as a result, Frank Buck’s first two books are his best.
In his autobiography, Anthony describes his collaborator:
"Frank Buck was a first-class actor and his pantomimic footnotes to some of his verbal explanations were most effective. One night during a session on the book our room in the hotel got stuffy—we both had been smoking for hours—so we opened the door wide and put a chair against it to start the air circulating. We were working on a chapter about a leopard—it eventually wound up in the Lincoln Park Zoo
in Chicago—which had inconsiderately damaged its cage and wriggled free on one of the cargo decks of the S.S. Granite State en route from Calcutta to San Francisco and was roaming the ship while nearly everyone fled for cover. Buck, to illustrate one of the animal's maneuvers, had slipped to the floor and was moving about on his hands and knees preparatory to springing at an unwary seaman, giving off guttural growls as he prepared to deplete the freighter's population. As he was about to leap at his victim he heard a sound in the hall and looking up he saw that he was playing to a gallery!—a bellboy and several patrons. He saw the humor of the situation, gave vent to a hearty soure cabatcha! [a Hindustani epithet], and prepared to resume operations. 'Are we disturbing you?' asked the bellboy. 'Yes,' said Buck, and our gallery vanished."
In 1933, Anthony filed suit in Brooklyn Supreme Court to recover two percent of the motion picture profits Frank Buck had earned on the film adaptation of Bring 'Em Back Alive, effectively ending their collaboration.
Anthony wrote or co-wrote other books, among them The Big Cage
with the wild animal trainer Clyde Beatty
.
, 1942-52 and of Collier's from 1949 to 1954. Collier's died shortly afterwards. Anthony wrote an autobiography, This is where I came in: the impromptu confessions of Edward Anthony (1960).
Frank Buck (animal collector)
Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
’s first two books, Bring 'Em Back Alive
Bring 'Em Back Alive (book)
Bring ‘Em Back Alive was Frank Buck’s first book, a huge best seller that catapulted him to world fame and was translated into many languages. Buck tells of his adventures capturing exotic animals....
, and Wild Cargo
Wild Cargo (book)
Wild Cargo was Frank Buck’s second book, a best seller. Buck continued his tales of his adventures capturing exotic animals.Writing with Edward Anthony, Buck related many of his experiences working with jungle creatures.-Chapters:...
.
Early career
Anthony got his start as a journalist on The Bridgeport Herald and then with The New York HeraldNew York Herald
The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835, and 1924.-History:The first issue of the paper was published by James Gordon Bennett, Sr., on May 6, 1835. By 1845 it was the most popular and profitable daily newspaper in the UnitedStates...
in 1920-23. An associate editor for a short time of Judge, the humor magazine, Anthony joined the staff of the Crowell group of magazines, later Crowell-Collier Publishing Company, in 1924. In 1928, he served as Eastern press director for Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
's presidential campaign.
Collaboration with Frank Buck
Of Frank BuckFrank Buck (animal collector)
Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
’s three co-authors , Anthony was most talented at imparting immediacy and freshness to Frank Buck’s narrative. Anthony wrote Buck’s stories in a modest, matter-of-fact, all-in-a-day’s-work fashion; yet almost every one has its own breath-catching spice of danger. With his knack for eliciting telling details, Anthony created a real sense of drama, and as a result, Frank Buck’s first two books are his best.
In his autobiography, Anthony describes his collaborator:
Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo is a free zoo located in Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois. The zoo was founded in 1868, making it one of the oldest zoos in the nation. The zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums ....
in Chicago—which had inconsiderately damaged its cage and wriggled free on one of the cargo decks of the S.S. Granite State en route from Calcutta to San Francisco and was roaming the ship while nearly everyone fled for cover. Buck, to illustrate one of the animal's maneuvers, had slipped to the floor and was moving about on his hands and knees preparatory to springing at an unwary seaman, giving off guttural growls as he prepared to deplete the freighter's population. As he was about to leap at his victim he heard a sound in the hall and looking up he saw that he was playing to a gallery!—a bellboy and several patrons. He saw the humor of the situation, gave vent to a hearty soure cabatcha! [a Hindustani epithet], and prepared to resume operations. 'Are we disturbing you?' asked the bellboy. 'Yes,' said Buck, and our gallery vanished."
In 1933, Anthony filed suit in Brooklyn Supreme Court to recover two percent of the motion picture profits Frank Buck had earned on the film adaptation of Bring 'Em Back Alive, effectively ending their collaboration.
Anthony wrote or co-wrote other books, among them The Big Cage
The Big Cage
The Big Cage is a 1933 circus film released by Universal Pictures starring Clyde Beatty and Anita Page and featuring Raymond Hatton, Wallace Ford, Andy Devine and Mickey Rooney, with Walter Brennan and Louise Beavers in bit roles....
with the wild animal trainer Clyde Beatty
Clyde Beatty
Clyde Beatty joined the circus as a cage cleaner as a teen and became famous as a lion tamer and animal trainer. He also became a circus impresario who owned his own show that later merged with the Cole Bros. Circus to form the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros...
.
Later career
Anthony was the publisher of Woman's Home CompanionWoman's Home Companion
Woman's Home Companion was an American monthly publication, published from 1873 to 1957. It was highly successful, climbing to a circulation peak of more than four million during the 1930s and 1940s....
, 1942-52 and of Collier's from 1949 to 1954. Collier's died shortly afterwards. Anthony wrote an autobiography, This is where I came in: the impromptu confessions of Edward Anthony (1960).