Wallace Markfield
Encyclopedia
Wallace Markfield was an American comic novelist best known for his first novel, To An Early Grave (1964), about four men who spend the day driving across Brooklyn to their friend's funeral. He is also known for Teitlebaum's Window (1970), a comic novel about a Jewish boy growing up in Brooklyn in the 1930s and 1940s. Markfield was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
in 1965 after the publication of To an Early Grave.
, earning a B.A. from Brooklyn College
in 1947, then doing his graduate work at New York University
between 1948-1950. In 1948 he married Anna May Goodman, the couple had a daughter. He later taught creative writing at San Francisco State College (1966–68), Kirkland College (1968–69), and Queens College (1971–73). At the time of his death he had been working on a novel for eleven years. Markfield died of a heart attack in Roslyn, New York on May 24, 2002.
reissued Teitlebaum's Window in October 1999 and To an Early Grave in December 2000.
he said: "[Multiple Orgasms] was a first person narrative, completely through the eyes of a woman. I found it awfully tiresome after a while, though I never find women tiresome. But she became just a great bore to me. After about a hundred and seventy-five pages or so, I just gave up. It was getting nowhere." It was published only as a limited edition of about three hundred copies, individually numbered and signed by the author.
, directed by Sidney Lumet
and starring George Segal
and Jack Warden
.
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in 1965 after the publication of To an Early Grave.
Life
Markfield graduated from Abraham Lincoln High SchoolAbraham Lincoln High School (New York)
Abraham Lincoln High School is a public high school located at 2800 Ocean Parkway, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, and is part of Region 7 in the New York City Department of Education...
, earning a B.A. from Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
in 1947, then doing his graduate work at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
between 1948-1950. In 1948 he married Anna May Goodman, the couple had a daughter. He later taught creative writing at San Francisco State College (1966–68), Kirkland College (1968–69), and Queens College (1971–73). At the time of his death he had been working on a novel for eleven years. Markfield died of a heart attack in Roslyn, New York on May 24, 2002.
Work
In addition to To An Early Grave and Teitlebaum's Window Markfield also wrote You Could Live If They Let You (1974), Multiple Orgasms (1977) and Radical Surgery (1991). The 1991 thriller was conceived already in the end of 1970s. Throughout his writing career, Markfield also contributed at least 40 articles to periodicals. Dalkey Archive PressDalkey Archive Press
Dalkey Archive Press is a publisher of fiction, poetry, and literary criticism in Illinois in the United States, specializing in the publication or republication of lesser known, often avant-garde works...
reissued Teitlebaum's Window in October 1999 and To an Early Grave in December 2000.
Multiple Orgasms
In an interview conducted in the spring of 1978 at Markfield's home in Port Washington, New YorkPort Washington, New York
Port Washington is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the community population was 15,846....
he said: "[Multiple Orgasms] was a first person narrative, completely through the eyes of a woman. I found it awfully tiresome after a while, though I never find women tiresome. But she became just a great bore to me. After about a hundred and seventy-five pages or so, I just gave up. It was getting nowhere." It was published only as a limited edition of about three hundred copies, individually numbered and signed by the author.
Release details
- 1964 To An Early Grave (ISBN 1-56478-261-1)
- 1970 Teitlebaum's Window (ISBN 1-56478-219-0)
- 1974 You Could Live If They Let You
- 1977 Multiple Orgasms
- 1991 Radical Surgery
Cinema
In 1968 To An Early Grave was adapted for the screen under the title Bye Bye BravermanBye Bye Braverman
Bye Bye Braverman is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Sidney Lumet. The screenplay by Herbert Sargent was adapted from the 1964 novel To An Early Grave by Wallace Markfield...
, directed by Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his credit. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict...
and starring George Segal
George Segal
George Segal is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:George Segal, Jr. was born in 1934 Great Neck, Long Island, New York, the son of Fannie Blanche and George Segal, Sr. He was educated at George School, a private Quaker preparatory boarding school near Newtown, Bucks County,...
and Jack Warden
Jack Warden
Jack Warden was an American character actor.-Early life:Warden was born John Warden Lebzelter in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Laura M. and John Warden Lebzelter, who was an engineer and technician. He was of Irish and Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry...
.