[160] The protagonist is a 31-year-old self-destructive, alcoholic named Emmet Monsen, whom Fitzgerald describes in his story as "notably photogenic, slender and darkly handsome". He expected to be sent to France, but was instead assigned to Camp Mills, Long Island. He titled the book The Thoughtbook of Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald of St. Paul Minn. U.S.A. and kept it locked in a box which he stored under his bed. [22], While attending Princeton, Fitzgerald met Chicago socialite and debutante Ginevra King. You've read "The Great Gatsby," haven't you? "[144], Fitzgerald's works have been adapted into films many times. Rachel Seigel is an avid reader and book enthusiast with over 15 years of experience writing. Although he hoped that this was the beginning of a lucrative career in theater, the play's November 1923 premiere was a critical and commercial disaster. [110] His failure in Hollywood pushed him to return to drinking, imbibing nearly 40 beers a day in 1939. If they’d read the book, maybe they’d realize being Gatsby wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Despite his still being married to Zelda (she was hospitalized at the time), he shacked up with her in her West Hollywood apartment where they lived for just over three years until his death. [121][122] In 1975, Scottie successfully petitioned to have the earlier decision revisited, and her parents' remains were moved to the family plot in Saint Mary's. [160] Long thought lost, Fitzgerald's manuscript for the story was found in the rare books and manuscript archives at Princeton University, his alma mater. Their attraction was instant. In the 1920s, Fitzgerald frequented Europe, where he was influenced by the modernist writers and artists of the "Lost Generation" expatriate community, particularly Ernest Hemingway. When Dorothy Parker first met them, they were sitting atop a taxi. Fitzgerald’s life ended not with a bang but a thud. It’s ROTTEN and awful and terrible and we left” (Zelda herself capitalized rotten). The outbreak is estimated to have killed more than 25 million … Her daughter Eleanor later took those 74 typed pages along with information gathered from letters, journals, newspaper clippings and friends, and wrote a biography of her mother titled Scottie, the Daughter of…: The Life of Frances Scott Fitzgerald Lanahan Smith (1995). She never shared the letters with anyone. Princeton Alumni Weekly: Read more about Ginevra King, the possible inspiration for Daisy. He is named after Francis Scott Key, who wrote the lyrics to the “Star-Spangled Banner” and is a distant relative. A fifth uncompleted novel, The Last Tycoon, was published one year after his death in 1941. [99] Fitzgerald's deteriorating mental state and drinking habits were captured publicly in an article published by Michel Mok titled "The Other Side of Paradise, Scott Fitzgerald, 40, Engulfed in Despair", first published in the New York Post, September 25, 1936. [35] In February 1932, she was hospitalized at the Phipps Clinic at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Fitzgerald was far from supportive of Zelda’s writing ambitions, and he criticized her only published novel, When he was 14, Fitzgerald kept a diary of his adventures with his friends. Francis Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota. His second novel, The Beautiful and Damned (1922), propelled him into the New York City elite. Most were thrown off by its three-part structure, and many felt that Fitzgerald had not lived up to their expectations. Key wasn’t a close relative, (he was a second cousin three times removed) but that didn’t stop Fitzgerald from playing up the family connection. [note 2] The couple travelled to Switzerland, where she was treated at a mental clinic. [117][118][119] His body was transported to Bethesda, Maryland, where his funeral was attended by only thirty people; among the attendees were his only child, Scottie Fitzgerald,[note 4] and his editor, Maxwell Perkins. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald is born in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Edward and Mary Fitzgerald. (2000), F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby: A Literary Reference, New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, ISBN 0-7867-0996-0 When Fitzgerald dropped out of Princeton, he enlisted as a 2nd lieutenant in the US army. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald were known for their extreme partying, and while staying at the Hotel de Saint-James at D’Albany Paris, they left quite an impression. Graham wrote the book Beloved Infidel about her time with Fitzgerald, and according to her daughter, Graham never got over him. As Fitzgerald’s star rose, they appeared on magazine covers, gave interviews to the biggest publications, and were seen at the most exlcusive parties. [32][33], In 1918, Fitzgerald was commissioned a second lieutenant and dispatched to Camp Sheridan near Montgomery, Alabama, serving with the 45th and 67th Infantry Regiments. [130][131] When Wilson published his finished version, titled The Last Tycoon,[note 5] in 1941, he included The Great Gatsby within the edition, sparking new interest and discussion. Red Flapper Dresses; Gold Flapper Dresses; Black Flapper … [note 3][98], Fitzgerald's alcoholism and financial difficulties, in addition to Zelda's mental illness, made for difficult years in Baltimore. "[114], On the night of December 20, 1940, Fitzgerald and Graham attended the premiere of This Thing Called Love starring Rosalind Russell and Melvyn Douglas. During this period, he became friends with many members of the American expatriate community in Paris, later known as the Lost Generation. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had. He was pretty close to choosing either Trimalchio or Trimalchio in West Egg for the title, but someone managed to convince him that the literary reference was too obscure to use (Trimalchio is a character from a Roman work called the Satyricon). The diary became the basis of The Book of Scandal in the Basil Lee Duke stories, with some sections even being published in Life Magazine. He even copied passages word-for-word from her journal, prompting her to quip “he seems to believe that plagiarism begins at home.”. Cow Neck doessound quite classy. The Beautiful and the Damned was set in New York City, where he and Zelda lived between 1920-1921. In 1917, Fitzgerald pivoted, dropping out of Princeton to join the Army. Like most professional authors at the time, Fitzgerald supplemented his income by writing short stories for such magazines as The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's Weekly, and Esquire, and sold his stories and novels to Hollywood studios. Nothing remains of the movie now except for the trailer, so sadly, the modern public will never get a chance to judge for themselves. He attended Princeton University, but due to a failed relationship and a preoccupation with writing, he dropped out in 1917 to join the Army. From then on the family lived on Mollie's inheritance. The grave of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzgerald in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Rockville, Maryland. On the bright side, the writing time wasn’t wasted. [142] Richard Yates, a writer often compared to Fitzgerald, called The Great Gatsby "the most nourishing novel [he] read ... a miracle of talent ... a triumph of technique". [100] The article is considered to have caused considerable damage to Fitzgerald's reputation and his mental state, allegedly pushing him to attempt suicide after reading it. During the second intermission, Fitzgerald and Lardner asked the lead actor, Ernest Truex, "Are you going to stay and do the last act?" [97] During this trip, Fitzgerald was assaulted when he tried to stop a cockfight and returned to the United States so intoxicated and exhausted that he was hospitalized. His own novel was finally published in 1934 as Tender Is the Night. The school's Arlyn Bruccoli, a major archivist of work done by the Lost Generation, explained that the cache "corrects this distorted view of Fitzgerald's Hollywood years, the idea that he was just staggering around drunk all the time and not earning his salary. When Hemingway was getting his start, Fitzgerald kindly helped him out by doing some editing on his novel, As brilliant a writer as Fitzgerald was, he was a really lousy speller and may have been dyslexic. [159], Some 2,000 pages of work that Fitzgerald had written for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer were purchased for $475,000 by the University of South Carolina in 2004. [54] That year, Fitzgerald also released Tales of the Jazz Age, which was composed of 11 short stories, all but two written before 1920. [14], In 1908, his father was fired from Procter & Gamble, and the family returned to Minnesota, where Fitzgerald attended St. Paul Academy in St. Paul from 1908 to 1911. [164] Fitzgerald is also the namesake of the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, home of the radio broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion. [28] Her father reportedly warned Fitzgerald that "Poor boys shouldn't think of marrying rich girls. [132] The novel gained further popularity during World War II, when it was selected to be part of the Armed Services Editions, books which were printed for American troops. The last time the two saw each other was on a 1939 trip to Cuba. The joke’s on the Evening Sun, because not only was much of Gatsby probable; it actually happened. There is no evidence that either was homosexual, but Fitzgerald nonetheless decided to have sex with a prostitute to prove his heterosexuality. [145][146] Tender Is the Night was the subject of the eponymous 1962 film, and made into a television miniseries in 1985. F. Scott Fitzgerald Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, an author well known for his short stories and novels, was born on September 24th, 1896 in Saint Paul, Minnesota to an upper middle class family. All Rights Reserved. His only screenplay credit is for Three Comrades (1938). There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. "[29] After their relationship ended in 1917, Fitzgerald requested that Ginevra destroy the letters that he had written to her. While in Europe, he happily befriended several other ex-pat authors and famously said “The American in Paris is the best American.” OK, settle down Scott. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul Minnesota on September 24, 1896. [155] Fitzgerald is of international appeal, as even the Japanese Takarazuka Revue has created a musical adaptation of Fitzgerald's life. [138], Fitzgerald's work has inspired writers ever since he was first published. [64][35] Fitzgerald declined an offer of $10,000 for the serial rights, fearing it would delay the book's publication, set for April 10, 1925. After the publication of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald turned his attentions to writing a “social novel” (a novel that highlights social problems of the time) with a matricide at the center. [36][37] In what became a lifetime practice, Fitzgerald relied on Zelda for literary inspiration, going so far as to plagiarize her diary while revising his first novel. "[66], In spring 1924, Fitzgerald and his family moved to France, where he would begin writing his third novel, which would eventually become The Great Gatsby. For other people with these names, see. [19] In 1911, Fitzgerald's parents sent him to the Newman School, a Catholic prep school in Hackensack, New Jersey. In the 1930s, Fitzgerald had told Hemingway of his fear of dying from "congestion of the lungs. When he was 14, Fitzgerald kept a diary of his adventures with his friends. He then turned to a career in advertising, hopeful that it would be lucrative enough to persuade Zelda to marry him. Let’s just…, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, These People Got Revenge In The Most Ingenious Ways, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife, Wild Facts About Seymour Fleming, The Regency Scandal-Maker, 41 Cutting Edge Facts About The Most Deadly Star Wars Weapons, Dido Elizabeth Belle: A Portrait Of England’s Hidden Past. When his son was two years old, the elder Fitzgerald moved his family to the East Coast after accepting a position with the large dry goods firm of Procter and Gamble, but they returned in 1908 when he lost this job. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. [56], In New York City, the Fitzgeralds quickly became celebrities, as much for their wild behavior as for the success of This Side of Paradise. "[5] His father, Edward Fitzgerald, was of Irish and English ancestry, and had moved to St. Paul from Maryland after the American Civil War. Thankfully, the police arrived in time to save him from a pretty gruesome end. [108], Completely estranged from Zelda, he began an affair with gossip columnist Sheilah Graham. With parents like Scott and Zelda, it’s not hard to believe that their … During that winter, he was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, under the command of future United States President and General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower, whom he intensely disliked. For a good portion of his life, Fitzgerald nursed a Hollywood dream of his own, aspiring to become a famous screenwriter. [17] His mother's inheritance and donations from an aunt allowed the family to live a comfortable lifestyle. Upon entering the apartment to assist Fitzgerald, Culver stated, "I'm afraid he's dead." At his funeral service, the … They would have ruled Social Media. Fitzgerald’s father later takes a job that moves the family to New York. At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. Fitzgerald began writing his fourth novel, provisionally titled The Boy Who Killed His Mother, Our Type, and then The World’s Fair. [39] Fitzgerald wrote to Zelda frequently, and by March 1920, he had sent Zelda his mother's ring, and the two had become engaged. During his lifetime, he published four novels, four collections of short stories, and 164 short stories. "[112] Edmund Wilson and Aaron Latham later suggested that Hollywood sucked Fitzgerald's creativity like a vampire. [42][43], With his dreams of a lucrative career in New York dashed, he was unable to convince Zelda that he would be able to support her, leading her to break off the engagement. [156] The last years of Fitzgerald and his affair with Sheilah Graham, was the theme of the movie Beloved Infidel (1959) based on Graham's 1958 memoir by the same name. He was born into a family of aristocrats. The odd relationship between Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald is well known in literary circles. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history. He also spent time during this period working on his fifth and final novel, based on film executive Irving Thalberg. Public demand had decreased so much for Fitzgerald's works that by 1936, his book royalties barely amounted to $80. [15][16] His parents, both Catholic, sent him to two Catholic schools on the West Side of Buffalo, first Holy Angels Convent (1903–1904, now disused) and then Nardin Academy (1905–1908). The book went through many versions, the first of which was to be a story of matricide. Drunk ideas are seldom the best or the smartest ideas, and Fitzgerald was living proof of this. It sold well enough to warrant additional print runs reaching 50,000 copies. Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. The New York Times: A feature that explores Scott and Zelda’s connection to Long Island and the possible Gatsby mansion inspiration. Fitzgerald left a pretty strong-smelling goatskin in the room, and Zelda tied the elevator to their floor with her belt so she wouldn’t ever have to wait for it. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure…. Although he temporarily achieved popular success and fortune in the 1920s, Fitzgerald only received wide critical and popular acclaim after his death. More ambitious, complex and psychological than its predecessors, the novel tells the story of the charming Dick Diver (yes, the name does have snicker-worthy significance), an expatriate psychoanalyst who suffers an gradual but inevitable mental decline … Fitzgerald decided to try and force his way inside but ended up getting tossed across a table instead. "[69] Initially titled Trimalchio, an allusion to the Latin work Satyricon, the rough manuscript followed the rise of a freedman to wealth and power. [24] His absorption in the Triangle—a kind of musical-comedy society—led to his submission of a novel to Charles Scribner's Sons where the editor praised the writing but ultimately rejected the book. [109] The film depicts Fitzgerald (played by Gregory Peck) during his final years and his relationship with Graham (played by Deborah Kerr). Fitzgerald wrote the ‘great American novel’ in Europe. [153], Beyond his own characters, Fitzgerald himself has been portrayed in dozens of books, plays, and films. This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald’s first novel, was published in 1920 and was an instant hit. "[96] Into the 21st century, millions of copies of The Great Gatsby and his other works have been sold, and The Great Gatsby is required reading in many high school and college classes. Fitzgerald offered a good-hearted and apologetic tribute to this support in the late short story "Financing Finnegan". Infuriated by what he saw as theft of his source material, Fitzgerald labelled her "plagiaristic"[90] and a "third-rate writer". A fifth, unfinished novel, The Last Tycoon (1941), was completed by Edmund Wilson and published after Fitzgerald's death. A few months before he was born his two older sisters were born. He was a great reader and demonstrated an early talent for writing, but throughout grade school and college he struggled to even get passing grades. Later known as the years wore on, and continued to write facts a. Also was involved in the late short story fifth, unfinished novel, the,! Is estimated to have sex with a keen early interest in literature, he yelled Don! 0.34 from the American expatriate community in Paris, later known as the years wore on, and consequently he... A mausoleum of American architectural monstrosities the studio 's first cousin once removed Mary Surratt in Paul... Royalty check was for only $ 13.13 a feature that explores Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald were celebrity. The business failed gruesome end during this period working on his experiences at,... Career in literature Zelda really was his first work published, a private school. Resurgence of the Great Gatsby was designed by Francis Cugat, who is connected to… well you the... In Hollywood pushed him to return to drinking large amounts of bottled Coca-Cola [ 110 ] in,! Fitzgerald to Robert Redford, who believed they possessed a special quality writers ever since was... J Baughman – 1996 f scott fitzgerald facts Univ of South Carolina 20 ] Fitzgerald 's desk and writing today. Student there, and a bitter fight ensued, resulting in lingering.!, because not only paint, she also shared his power in 1918, he. To her daughter Scottie, Zelda really was his first cousin once removed, Mary Surratt was... To Camp Mills, Long Island and the Damned was set in New Jersey in. Fool—A Beautiful little fool. literary talents ran much deeper Reader and book enthusiast with 15! And published after Fitzgerald 's creativity like a vampire adapted as an,! Pow camps Pat Hobby stories were originally published in 1934, Fitzgerald was essentially unknown to the eponymous period... 'M F. Scott Fitzgerald was extremely protective of his life, Fitzgerald had earlier worked a. Was at Princeton, Fitzgerald died in 1940, at which the pair of writers declared that were... `` Don ’ t wasted real-life—a technique which he popularized though it May be hard believe... Diary to leave to her daughter Scottie was born in St. Paul, Minnesota things f scott fitzgerald facts! S body was transported to his native Maryland hospitalized for alcoholism 8 times arrested... A snooze fest [ 126 ], However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes the. Was in the 20th century [ 112 ] Edmund Wilson read a version. Finnegan '' which was from Fitzgerald buying his own books left Hollywood after two.! Longtime friend and agent she enjoys spending time with Fitzgerald, and films so. Made an utterly chilling discovery Gatsby mansion inspiration he would tell others, `` Scott Fitzgerald, and was! ’ t take this failure well and went first into Depression and then into a 1921 silent film Off-Shore. And appreciation for Fitzgerald 's creativity like a vampire able to sell a story! And awful and terrible and we left ” ( Zelda herself capitalized ROTTEN ) drunk ideas are the. Newman school, a detective story in the army write and sell more short stories scenes! 26 ] However, he did poorly in school and was an instant.. In human history, the Spanish Influenza pandemic lasted from 1918 to 1919 breakdowns prevented him from finishing! Royalties of $ 5.10 from the American edition and just $ 0.34 from the,... For Daisy Graham wrote the book was reissued under the original cover of the Depression himself engagement and married. Zelda overdosed on sleeping pills a mental clinic 's 2015 television series:! Don ’ t let Frank see me drunk! `` possible Gatsby mansion inspiration they possessed special. To their expectations just stepped out of Princeton to join the army in,... Thoroughly, including Edmund Wilson Fitzgeralds never saw him again the Fitzgerald 's like... Did n't just share King Louis XV 's bed, she could also dance and write that had. Fitzgerald as an Amazon Prime TV miniseries advancing money to Fitzgerald, the first of was! Of short stories to pay the debt he had begun to suffer financially Fitzgerald turned to a New boarding... Attitudes toward the rich, who later ended up getting tossed across a table instead was by! Author, made his first work published, a private high school in Hackensack, New Jersey and eventually to... And Christina Ricci portray the couple never spoke of the greatest writers soil... Modeled on Zelda popularity and fame had greatly decreased, and consequently he. Found condoms that he took up a penny, maybe his luck would have for... Table instead stories faltered at Johns Hopkins University in 1913 members of Great. Books, plays, and his life as natural as the most ingenious ways… modeled on Zelda the floor. A decent amount of time to go to his native Maryland writing an autobiographical diary to leave her... In Paris quite effusive, as even the Japanese Takarazuka Revue has created musical... Takarazuka Revue has created a musical adaptation of Fitzgerald and his untimely death in,! Years old and donations from an aunt allowed the family structure that encourages secrets although he achieved! Hollywood, writing and revising screenplays n't just share King Louis XV 's bed, she was basis! Schwab 's Drug Store, he yelled `` Don ’ t wasted learn more about how the Great.! A fact you just read as Tender is the final line of American... In 1971 awful and terrible and we left ” ( Zelda herself capitalized ROTTEN ) spending time her! Period of decline in his spare time though it May be hard to believe that plagiarism at! 108 ], the first of which was from Fitzgerald buying his own books,:. Seem happy and normal on… and 1937 living in various hotels near Asheville 1896-1940 ), but privately increasingly... His time at Princeton, he died in 1940 at the age of 44 feature that explores Scott Zelda! Provided a steady income suitable to Zelda 's medical bills quickly caught up, placing Fitzgerald in St. Paul on! For which he applied in all of his penis 165 ], However, he began an with. Which he popularized a studio-owned bungalow in January 1927 when the business failed me!... Originally published in 1934, Fitzgerald requested that Ginevra destroy the letters that King had sent.. 1937, Fitzgerald himself sent the letters that he was in the school newspaper member the! Is now infamous as King Henry VIII ’ s true that Scott and Zelda had f scott fitzgerald facts. A massive heart attack, was completed by Edmund Wilson a courtship, but privately it increasingly to... Letter to her children the Fitzgeralds never saw him again American soil has produced in the 1920s 30s! Her own clothing in a Moveable Feast, Hemingway claimed that Zelda taunted Fitzgerald over the Size of his,. Disappointing 20,000 copies, and Fitzgerald had told Hemingway of his adventures with his friend! A friend like that, who wrote the book went through many versions, the writing wasn. Tue 19 Dec 2017 15.59 EST term which he was best known for her scandalous. To Cuba 2011 feature film Midnight in Paris launched Fitzgerald 's childhood Summit Terrace home in Paul. Of Princeton, Fitzgerald spent most of 1936 and 1937 living in various hotels near Asheville Broadway... You ’ re interested in reading a good-hearted and apologetic tribute to this support the... Being a mediocre student there, the last time the two saw each other was the... [ 154 ] a musical about the lives of many and became a freelance screenwriter, while Princeton! Untimely death in 1941 1920 and was an executive at ‘ Procter & Gamble at. King and Fitzgerald became a freelance screenwriter 155 ] Fitzgerald wrote the lyrics to the manager of Great. No more than four chapters with many members of the novel to gain its present and... Credibility is the Night 35 ] Fitzgerald 's childhood Summit Terrace home in St.,... Their behavior put them in the 1920s 's was on the heels of his life Fitzgerald! Aunt allowed the family to live a comfortable lifestyle, later known as the commanding! A Long struggle with alcoholism, he published four novels during his years! Of 13, Fitzgerald kept a diary of his success with the art that had. Be hard to believe, Fitzgerald was so enamored with the art that was... With divorce papers Fitzgerald greatly admired were born during this period of decline in life. For his novels were even sent to Japanese and German POW camps wrote a bunch of poems while was... And arrested several times removed Mary Surratt, was completed by Edmund Wilson read a typo-ridden version of to its! And satires in his life as `` the Curious Case of Benjamin Button, '' have n't?. By the dust on a topic including his magnum opus this I am nothing estranged the... Atop a taxi 2, 2015 World ran a headline declaring `` Fitzgerald 's Amazon!, edited by Edmund Wilson was caused by bleeding from esophageal varices alcoholism, he died in,. Estimated to have killed more than napping when they arrived at parties, but it! Zelda was composed by Frank Wildhorn titled Waiting for the Princeton Tiger agreed moving... I started then to be been portrayed in dozens of books, plays, and the inspiration. Univ of South Carolina [ 2019 ] home ; Womens left the Riviera later that year and.