Bernard Smith (September 20, 1907 – December 21, 1999) was an American

literary editor A literary editor is an editor in a newspaper, magazine or similar publication who deals with aspects concerning literature and books, especially reviews.

, film producer, and literary critic. He is best remembered for his work at the

Knopf Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers in ...

publishing house, where he edited

B. Traven B. Traven (; Bruno Traven in some accounts) was the pen name of a novelist, presumed to be German, whose real name, nationality, date and place of birth and details of biography are all subject to dispute. One certainty about Traven's life is ...

, Raymond Chandler, and

Dashiell Hammett Samuel Dashiell Hammett (; May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American writer of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He was also a screenwriter and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade ('' ...

, and Langston Hughes.

Early life

Bernard Smith was born on September 20, 1907, in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. His father was a businessman and his mother was a housewife. He attended City University of New York.

Career

In 1928, Smith began working for

Alfred A. Knopf Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers in ...

, where he was eventually made simultaneously editor-in-chief and managing editor. He became Traven's first American editor, and took a free hand in revising Traven's initially rough English. In 1939, Smith published his ''Forces in American Criticism'', a historical and critical survey of American literature and literary criticism from a Marxist perspective. Smith, though never a Communist Party member, was a committed Marxist; but the book was undogmatic and was well received in the mainstream literary academy, including favorable notice from critics such as Austin Warren. He collaborated with

Malcolm Cowley Malcolm Cowley (August 24, 1898 – March 27, 1989) was an American writer, editor, historian, poet, and literary critic. His best known works include his first book of poetry, ''Blue Juniata'' (1929), his lyrical memoir, ''Exile's Return ...

while working for the New Republic in his early 20s. Smith moved in 1947 to Hollywood, where he worked in the film industry, first for

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor an ...

as a script editor. In 1950, he became an independent producer, producing such Hollywood films such as

Elmer Gantry ''Elmer Gantry'' is a satirical novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of America in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. The novel's protagonis ...

and How the West was Won. In 1963 he partnered as a producer with director

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

, making films such as Cheyenne Autumn. In 1994 Smith published a memoir, ''A World Remembered: 1925-1950,'' which has been used academically as an autobiography supporting historical texts. He edited volumes including
The Democratic Spirit: A Collection of American Writings From the Earliest Times to the Present Day
' (1941, second edition 1943), ''Books That Changed Our Minds'', and ''The Holiday Reader'' with Philip Van Doren Stern. His work also included studies published in the 1940s of the painters

Moses Soyer Moses Soyer (December 25, 1899 – September 3, 1974) was an American social realist painter. Biography He was born as Moses Schoar and both he and his identical twin brother, Raphael, were born in Borisoglebsk, Tambov, a southern province of R ...

and

David Burliuk David Davidovich Burliuk (Давид Давидович Бурлюк; 21 July 1882 – 15 January 1967) was a Russian-language poet, artist and publicist associated with the Futurist and Neo-Primitivist movements. Burliuk has been described as ...

Personal life

Smith's brother, Emil Smith was a biologist and UCLA professor emeritus credited with having his work with plasma.

Emil is survived by his two sons, Geoffrey Smith, a Harvard graduate and current doctor at UCLA and J. Donald Smith (Columbia, University of Chicago, Dartmouth, New England Gilbert and Sullivan Society)

Death

Smith died on December 21, 1999, at the Beverly Hills Rehabilitation Center in Beverly Hills, California.

Filmography

*'' Immortal Gentleman'' (1935, producer). *'' Men Without Honour'' (1939, producer). *''

'' (1960, producer). *'' How the West Was Won'' (1962, producer). *'' Cheyenne Autumn'' (1964, producer). *''

7 Women ''7 Women'', also known as ''Seven Women'', is a 1966 Panavision drama film directed by John Ford and starring Anne Bancroft, Sue Lyon, Margaret Leighton, Flora Robson, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field, and Anna Lee, with Eddie Albert, Mike Mazurk ...

'' (1966, producer). *'' Alfred the Great'' (1969, producer).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Bernard 1907 births 1999 deaths Writers from New York City People from Beverly Hills, California City University of New York alumni American literary editors Film producers from California Film producers from New York (state)