On Dorothy Parker’s birthday in 1999, I led my first walking tour, which stretched from the Upper West Side to the Algonquin Hotel. It was too warm for such an adventure, but, because we wound up in the Blue Bar, nobody complained. On that day I organized the Dorothy Parker Society, and I’ve been collecting stories, books, and photos about the Algonquin Round Table ever since. I also started meeting the descendants of the Vicious Circle and others associated with the hotel. Sharing some of the material and stories they’ve held for so many decades makes this book extra special to me.
Mrs. Parker’s warm and friendly great-nieces—Nancy Arcaro, Susan Cotton, and Joan Grossman—were so pleased to talk about “Aunt Dot” and share scrapbooks and family anecdotes about the Rothschilds; I’m deeply grateful to them. I’ve spent many fantastic hours visiting with the last surviving son of a Round Table member, Anthony Adams, who inherited the wit and charm of his dad, F.P.A. Tony has been a wealth of information about the whole group, and I’ve cherished the time I’ve spent with him, talking about books and old cars. One of the best experiences I’ve ever had working on a book was riding in his classic 1932 Franklin sedan from his house in rural Connecticut to White Flower Farm, looking for Jane Grant’s plants, and her ghost. The late Kate Pulitzer Freedberg, granddaughter of Margaret Leech, gave me a lot of wonderful information and material. Kate was so happy that someone was interested in her grandmother; it’s bittersweet that she didn’t get a chance to see the book. Thanks to Kate’s brother, Nat, who has the spirit and joie de vivre of a Round Table member. Kenward Elmslie kindly chatted with me about the Pulitzer cousins and “Peggy” Leech.
Tony Adams, son of F.P.A., and I in Wallingford, Connecticut, 2013. ◆ ◆ ◆
Other family members who helped include the following: Harry Atkins, nephew of Arthur Samuels; Nat Benchley, grandson of Robert; and Sally Pemberton, granddaughter of Murdock. Lee Case Megna, great-granddaughter of Frank Case, inherited his graciousness and charm, and I thank her for meeting with me. Helen Beer and her brother, Paul Beer, the children of Mrs. Parker’s caretakers, were tickled to talk about the old Bucks County farm, and saved many mementos from that era. Helen confirmed that Mrs. Parker liked to swim in the buff. Errol Tony Soma, grandson of the speakeasy owner, provided invaluable answers to my queries about his granddad and family.
Thanks to Debby Applegate, biographer of Polly Adler, one of my favorite Jazz Age characters. Once again, kudos to Susie Rachel Baker, the first Dorothy Parker fan I ever knew. Thanks to: Les Dunseith, who taught me how to research and ask questions; the late Gordon Ernst, top Benchley scholar, who cataloged his messy life; my photographer pals Anita Aguilar, Vincent Gong, and Paul Katcher, for once more helping me out in a pinch. Deirdre Greene and Nigel Quinney gave me my first big break in publishing in 2005. To the Robert Benchley Society members, Bill Hyder, Chris Morgan, Frederick Rasmussen, and president David Trumbull—I appreciate all the help and research into Benchley’s life and times. To Dr. Robert Mielke, who taught me to write better. To biographer Marion Meade, for the kindness she showed me when I was starting out in the field. To the Sherlock Holmes of literary sleuthing, detection, and correction, Stuart Y. Silverstein, deep thanks. Thanks to Tom Tryniski for running and maintaining Old Fulton New York Post Cards. My parents, Don and Val Fitzpatrick, for support and love through all of my many projects.
The Algonquin Hotel has always bent over backward for me. The hotel has changed hands a few times, but management has always respected the past while looking toward the future. Nobody does that better than general manager Gary Budge. He oversaw the biggest changes to the hotel since it was constructed in 1902, and helped to institute the improvements and upgrades necessary to make it last another century. When he took me on a hard-hat tour in 2012 to see the guts of the building exposed during renovations, it left me in awe to see the care being given to the restoration of the structure. I was pleased to meet his successor, Manuela “Manny” Rappenecker, who immediately embraced the Algonquin lore and traditions. Special thanks to executive assistant Alice de Almeida, who always helps when I need it. She gave me a 1902 brick from the hotel after the renovation, which is more special to me than a seat from old Yankee Stadium. Alice manages the life and affairs of Matilda, a role she relishes and does with aplomb.
Thanks to Melissa Baker for the wonderful maps. For helping me locate the best imagery possible, thanks go to Ronald Mandelbaum at Photofest; Maryann Chach, Mark Swartz, and Sylvia Wang from the Shubert Archive; Kylene Sullivan of the “21” Club; Hamilton College graduate Rebecca Weingarten, who visited Aleck Woollcott’s grave for me; Rosemary Morrow and Redux Pictures; Irena Choi Stern, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; Noah Diamond, the Marx Brothers’ representative on this planet, who rendered the drawing of the Algonquin Hotel in a pinch.
I am deeply grateful to Anthony Melchiorri for taking the time to write the warm foreword to the book. Thanks to my editor, James Jayo, on our second run for the roses with the Twenties. To senior production editor Meredith Dias, for her herculean efforts to organize my mountain of words and boatload of images, I’ll be sending you a bottle of Dorothy Parker gin. Lyons Press has been good to me, and I’m grateful for the courtesy and care they’ve shown.
Major thanks to my wife, Christina Hensler Fitzpatrick. She and I visited cemeteries, cocktail lounges, libraries, and strange towns together. She watched me write this book in four different apartments, and gave me the time to do it. I love you.