delanceyplace.com 05/16/06 - robert benchley

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In today’s excerpt - Robert Benchley (1889-1945) American author, actor, drama critic, humorist, and member of the Algonquin roundtable.  Benchley published 12 books of short stories, wrote and starred in 48 short films (winning the 1935 Oscar for “How to Sleep”), wrote and acted in 38 feature films, published more than 600 stories in various magazines, and was drama critic for Life magazine and The New Yorker.  Samples of Benchley’s wit include:

“Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing”

“Drinking makes such fools of people, and people are such fools to begin with, that it’s compounding a felony.”

“There are two kinds of people in the world, those who believe there are two kinds of people in the world and those who don’t.”

“Tell us your phobias, and we will tell you what you are afraid of.”

Of his own biography, Benchley wrote:

“Robert Charles Benchley, born on the Isle of Wight, September 15, 1807.  Shipped as a cabin boy on the Florence J. Marble, 1815.  Arrested for bigamy and murder in Port Said 1817.  Released 1820.  Wrote Tale of Two Cities.  Married Princess Anastasia of Portugal 1831.  Children:  Prince Ruprecht and several little girls.  Wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1850.  Editor of Godey’s Ladies Book 1851-1856.  Began Les Miserables in 1870, finished by Victor Hugo.  Died 1871.  Buried in Westminster Abbey.”

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