Arthur Sheekman (February 5, 1901 – January 12, 1978) was an American theater and movie critic, columnist, playwright, and editor—but best known for his writing for the screen. His specialty was light comedy.
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer who performed in films and vaudeville on television, radio, and the stage. He is considered one of America's greatest comed ...
called him "The Fastest Wit in the West."
Early life (1901–1926)
Arthur Sheekman was born February 5, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents, Nettie Green Sheekman and Charles Grover Sheekman, were Jewish immigrants from
Rostov-on-Don,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. Sheekman was the middle child of three, coming between Edith (who became a teacher) and Harvey (an engineer). In Sheekman's early years, the family lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, where their father owned a bar. As Charlie Sheekman wasn't much of a provider, the children had to scramble to help support their family. Sheekman got his first job at twelve, working after school and on weekends at the St. Paul Public Library stacking books. He worked at the library until he got a job as a cub reporter on the ''St. Paul Daily News''—a letter of recommendation from Librarian William Dawson Johnston to the ''Daily News'' City Editor gave him the entrée.
[Clipping. Light, Paul. "So What!" ''St. Paul Pioneer Press'', January 28, 1945.] Sheekman rose to become the paper's theater and movie critic, writing his column, "The Voice Off-Stage". Wanting to go to college, Sheekman enrolled at the University of Minnesota but found he could not manage both his job and his course work and had to withdraw.
In 1926, Sheekman is rumored to have filled in for a colleague's place on a journalist's trip to the Sesquicentennial International Exposition in Philadelphia. On a sight-seeing tour with fellow newspapermen, the guide was pointing out a replica of the Liberty Bell...a replica of Betsy Ross's flag...a replica of the elm tree where William Penn stood...a replica of—when Sheekman interrupted, "Say, could you show us a replica of a men's room?" When the editor of the ''
Chicago Journal'' stopped laughing, he offered Sheekman three times the salary he was getting at the ''Daily News''.
That was how Sheekman got back to his native Chicago.
On the ''Chicago Journal'', Sheekman continued writing about the movies and Hollywood in his column, "Short Shot and Close-Up". Then he was awarded the noteworthy space, "A Little About Everything," a column previously occupied by humorists
Bert Leston Taylor,
Finley Peter Dunne, and
Franklin P. Adams. In a ''Journal'' handout promoting the column,
Florenz Ziegfeld
Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the '' Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He al ...
is quoted as wiring from New York, "Please send me back numbers of ''Chicago Daily Journal'' containing Arthur Sheekman's column, which I find vastly entertaining." "A leading merchant of Chicago...remarked, "I like his column because he is a cynic without scorn, and a wit without malice." Finally, Sheekman moved to Chicago's ''Daily Times'' where his column "Ahead of the Times" was a "A Daily Potpourri of Wit and Verse.".
Groucho Marx (1926–1977)
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer who performed in films and vaudeville on television, radio, and the stage. He is considered one of America's greatest comed ...
played a major role in Sheekman's life. The two men met in the fall of 1926 when
The Marx Brothers came to Chicago on tour in their musical play, ''The Cocoanuts''.
[Timphus, Stefan. "The Marx Brothers Chronology". www.marx-brothers.org/biography/chrono.htm. Accessed Sept 15, 2014.] When Sheekman interviewed them for his column, the brothers told him that Groucho, Harpo and Chico were going "... to produce a film called ''The Marx Brothers at Yale''." Sheekman commented, "It was inevitable of course that Mrs. Marx's boys should be sought after as film comedians; for there are few stage buffoons who come within blocks of their talents for comedic pantomime ..." (Rather than ''The Marx Brothers at Yale'' that turned Mrs. Marx's boys into legendary film comedians, it was ''The Cocoanuts'', released in August 1929.) Then again after the Broadway run of their musical play, ''Animal Crackers'' (October 1928 – April 1929), the brothers again came to Chicago on tour. Sheekman gave Groucho his column's space, advising his readers: "On Tuesday, Mr. Groucho Marx, the comedian, will be guest conductor of this column at no increase in prices. Mr. Marx is the man who said (and is still saying in ''Animal Crackers''): 'It would be a happier world for children if parents ate the spinach themselves.'"
The following year, the movie version of ''Animal Crackers'' was released. Groucho wanted Sheekman to come to Hollywood and write for The Boys (as they called themselves). Instead, with Sheekman in Chicago and The Boys in Los Angeles, Sheekman did write for one of them. In 1929, a book titled ''Beds'' was serialized in the magazine,
''College Humor'', then the following year was published in book form.
''Beds'' bore Groucho Marx's name as author but it was Arthur Sheekman who wrote it.
Early in 1931, Sheekman accepted Groucho's invitation and moved west to work on ''Monkey Business''—his credit on that first picture was "Dialog by Arthur Sheekman." Next he worked on ''Horse Feathers'' but just with Groucho (and was uncredited). Sheekman makes an unscripted appearance in the movie as a sports writer in the press box.
At this point in his career, Sheekman began a collaboration (and lasting friendship) with
Nat Perrin. Perrin was also new at writing comedy for the screen, but their chemistry clicked. In the next five years, Sheekman and Perrin came up with two original stories (''Kid Millions'', ''Pigskin Parade''), wrote four screenplays—two for Shirley Temple, one for Eddie Cantor, (''Kid Millions'', ''Rose of the Rancho'', ''Dimples'', ''Stowaway'') and contributed additional dialog/material to movies for The Marx Brothers and Eddie Cantor (''Duck Soup'', ''Roman Scandals''). They also worked on the Groucho-
Chico radio series ''
Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel''. In 1937, Sheekman and Perrin amicably agreed it was time to move on.
Through the years, Groucho and Sheekman were closest friends. The two men had much in common. They had the same wry fly irreverent sense of humor, grew up struggling to support their families, were non-religious Jews with a liberal bent (Marx was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild and Sheekman was a founding member of the Screen Writers Guild), loved to read and appreciated beautiful women. When Groucho was asked to put together a collection of his letters for Simon & Schuster, he asked Sheekman to do it for him. ''The Groucho Letters: Letters to and from Groucho Marx'' was published in 1967. Sheekman wrote a Preface to the book but requested his name not be noted as editor.
Non-Marxian works (1933–1961)
Sheekman met his wife, actress
Gloria Stuart, when visiting the set of the
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Cantor was one of the prominent entertainers of his era.
Some of h ...
musical he was working on, ''Roman Scandals''. Stuart was one of the stars. They married in August the following year and their daughter,
Sylvia, was born in June 1935.
In 1939, when both their contracts with studios were up, the Sheekmans took a trip around the world. When they landed in New York, they decided to stay. Stuart hoped to work in the theater and Sheekman hoped to write a hit play. In the next three-and-a-half years, Sheekman collaborated on two plays. ''Mr. Big'' he wrote with Margaret Shane and ''Franklin Street'' he wrote with
Ruth and Augustus Goetz. The reviews of ''Mr. Big'' were brutal and it closed after seven performances. ''Franklin Street'' never made it out of Boston. And although Stuart was in demand for roles in summer stock, she could not get a part on Broadway. In 1943, the Sheekmans returned to Hollywood.
In the next seventeen years, Sheekman added seventeen credits to his name. He developed a reputation for writing skillful adaptations of plays and novels. Most notable are ''Dear Ruth'', ''Dream Girl,'' ''Mr. Music,'' ''Call Me Madam'' and ''Some Came Running''. ''Call Me Madam'' was a particular success. Under a headline, "'Madam' Even Better on Screen," Alton Cook wrote, "Scenarist Arthur Sheekman has achieved his good result with small and sly changes along the way, making the humor flow more steadily and giving some of it a sharper edge." The Screen Writers' Guild nominated ''Call Me Madam'' as the best written Musical of 1953.
In the 1950s, Sheekman wrote a third play, ''The Joker'', but it failed, too.
Still, in his 28 films, Arthur Sheekman wrote for some of Hollywood's most enduring stars. In addition to The Marx Brothers and Shirley Temple, he created characters for
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...
,
Fred Astaire,
Judy Garland
Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. Possessing a strong contralto voice, she was celebrated for her emotional depth and versatility across film, stage, and concert performance. ...
,
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
,
Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward (born Edythe Marrener; June 30, 1917 – March 14, 1975) was an American actress best known for her film portrayals of women that were based on true stories.
After working as a fashion model for the Walter Clarence Thornton, Walt ...
,
William Holden
William Franklin Holden (né Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film '' Stalag 17'' (1953) and the Pri ...
,
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Shirley MacLaine, numerous accolades, including a ...
,
Alan Ladd
Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake in ...
,
Betty Hutton,
Danny Kaye,
Anne Baxter
Anne Baxter (May 7, 1923 – December 12, 1985) was an American actress, star of Hollywood films, Broadway theatre, Broadway productions, and television series. She won an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, Golden Globe, and t ...
,
Ray Milland,
Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann; January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American singer and actress. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and her leading roles in musical theatre, musical theater,Obituary ''Variety Obitua ...
,
Dean Martin
Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Cool", he is regarded as one of the most popular entertainers of ...
,
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Cantor was one of the prominent entertainers of his era.
Some of h ...
,
Debbie Reynolds
Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and entrepreneur. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage and television and in films into her 80s.
She was nom ...
, and Gloria Stuart.
Decline and loss (1970–1978)
Sheekman suffered a heart attack in the spring of 1960 and his health became a concern. In 1970, his confusion and disorientation were diagnosed as
pre-senile dementia. Sheekman had to be cared for in a nursing facility. During the next seven years, Groucho regularly came to see his friend. Gloria Stuart wrote in her 1999 memoir, "The only tender thing I ever heard Groucho say was to my husband on a visit... Leaning down over Arthur's wheelchair he said, "Don't go before I go, Sheek." Sheek did not. He died five months after Groucho on January 12, 1978.
["Arthur Sheekman, A Screenwriter And Adapter, At 76". ''The New York Times'', January 14, 1978.]
Filmography
*''
Monkey Business'' (1931)
*''Horse Feathers'' (1932)
*''
Duck Soup'' (1933)
*''
Roman Scandals'' (1933)
*''
Kid Millions'' (1934)
* ''Rose of the Rancho'' (1936)
*''
Dimples'' (1936)
*''Pigskin Parade'' (1936)
*''
Stowaway'' (1936)
*''The King and the Chorus Girl'' (dialogue and treatment, uncredited, 1937)
*''
The Gladiator'' (1938)
*''
Wonder Man
Wonder Man (Simon Williams) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in '' The Avengers'' #9 (October 1964). The character, wh ...
'' (1945)
*''
Blue Skies'' (1946)
*''Blaze of Noon'' (1947)
*''
Dear Ruth'' (1947)
*''
Welcome Stranger
Welcome Stranger is the name of the largest alluvial gold nugget ever discovered. It was unearthed by Cornwall, Cornish miners John Deason and Richard Oates on 5February 1869 in Moliagul, 9 miles north-west of Dunolly, Victoria, Dunolly in Vi ...
'' (1947)
*''The Trouble with Women'' (1947)
*''Saigon'' (1948)
*''Hazard'' (1948)
*''Dream Girl'' (1948)
*''Dear Wife'' (1949)
*''
Mr. Music'' (1950)
*''Here Comes the Groom'' (Uncredited) (1951)
*''
Young Man With Ideas'' (1952)
*''
Call Me Madam'' (1953)
*''
Bundle of Joy'' (1956)
*, ''Les Girls'' (Treatment, uncredited) (1957)
*''
Some Came Running'' (1958)
*''
Ada'' (1961)
* ''My Three Sons:'' "Robbie's Honey" (1971)
Notes
References
*
External links
Sheekman filmographyat TimeOut London
Brief bio at Barnes and Noble website*
- Inside joke from ''
Horse Feathers''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheekman, Arthur
1901 births
1978 deaths
American male screenwriters
20th-century American male writers
20th-century American screenwriters