Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway, 1918-1923

Publisher Marketing: Dorothy Parker holds a place in history as one of New York's most beloved writers. Now, for the first time in nearly a century, the public is invited to enjoy Mrs. Parker's sharp wit and biting commentary on the Jazz Age hits and flops in this first-ever published collection of her groundbreaking Broadway reviews. Starting when she was twenty-four at Vanity Fair as New York's only female theatre critic, Mrs. Parker reviewed some of the biggest names of the era: the Barrymores, George M. Cohan, W. C. Fields, Helen Hayes, Al Jolson, Eugene O'Neil, Will Rogers, and the Ziegfeld Follies. Her words of praise--and contempt--for the dramas, comedies, musicals, and revues are just as fresh and funny today as they were in the age of speakeasies and bathtub gin. Annotated with a notes section by Kevin C. Fitzpatrick, president of the Dorothy Parker Society, the volume shares Parker's outspoken opinions of a great era of live theatre in America, from a time before radio, talking pictures, and television decimated attendance. Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway, 1918-1923 provides a fascinating glimpse of Broadway in its Golden Era and literary life in New York through the eyes of a renowned theatre critic. Contributor Bio:  Parker, Dorothy Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) wrote short stories for The New Yorker for 30 years. She was married to Edwin Pond Parker II, once, and to Alan Campbell, twice. Upon her death she left her estate to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She also provided that in the event of his death, her estate would pass on to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Contributor Bio:  Fitzpatrick, Kevin C Kevin C. Fitzpatrick is the founder of the Dorothy Parker Society, which has been featured in "The New York Times, "USA Today, "National Geographic Traveler, and "Time Out New York. He wrote, designed, and produced dorothyparkerNYC.com, which was named a 2001 Site of the Year by Yahoo! In conjunction with the Algonquin Hotel, he leads monthly walking tours of the former Round Table homes and haunts in Manhattan. He lives in New York City.