Edgar Allan Woolf(1881-1943)
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Edgar Allan Woolf was an American playwright and screenwriter. He is mostly remembered as a co-writer of the fantasy film "The Wizard of Oz" (1939).
Woolf was born in New York City to inventor Albert E. Woolf and his wife Rosamond Wimpfheimer. His father was an inventor of electrical devices.
Woolf was educated in both the City College of New York and Columbia University. He graduated from Columbia in 1901, at the age of 20. He had begun writing plays during his college years. In his senior year, he wrote "The Mischief Maker", produced as Columbia's annual varsity show.
Following his graduation, Woolf sought an acting career. He joined the Murray Hill Stock Company as an actor, performing in New York City for several years. He eventually started writers sketches and plays for vaudeville performers, transitioning from an actor to a writer. He wrote for ,among others, Mrs Patrick Campbell (1865-1940), Pat Rooney (1880-1962), and Mitzi Hajos (1889-1970).
In 1906, Woolf wrote the book for the musical revue "Mam'zelle Champagne". The play became famous not for its content, but a murder occurring at its opening night in the theater. The millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw (1871-1947) murdered the famous architect Stanford White (1853-1906). The publicity of the event helped attract attention to the revue, which had a run of 60 performances.
In the 1930s, Woolf moved from New York City to Los Angeles. He was hired as a screenwriter for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His most frequent collaborator there was Florence Ryerson. The two co-wrote "The Wizard of Oz", and co-created the character of Professor Marvel.
He entertained fellow writers and directors as a host of dinner parties, and personally cooked for his guests.
In 1943, Woolf took daily walks with his pet dog,. In December of that year, he apparently tripped on the dog's leash while walking down the stairs at his Beverly Hill residence. He fell down the stairs, and suffered a fatal skull fracture. His servants transported him to a hospital in Santa Monica, where he died. He was 62-years-old.
Woolf was born in New York City to inventor Albert E. Woolf and his wife Rosamond Wimpfheimer. His father was an inventor of electrical devices.
Woolf was educated in both the City College of New York and Columbia University. He graduated from Columbia in 1901, at the age of 20. He had begun writing plays during his college years. In his senior year, he wrote "The Mischief Maker", produced as Columbia's annual varsity show.
Following his graduation, Woolf sought an acting career. He joined the Murray Hill Stock Company as an actor, performing in New York City for several years. He eventually started writers sketches and plays for vaudeville performers, transitioning from an actor to a writer. He wrote for ,among others, Mrs Patrick Campbell (1865-1940), Pat Rooney (1880-1962), and Mitzi Hajos (1889-1970).
In 1906, Woolf wrote the book for the musical revue "Mam'zelle Champagne". The play became famous not for its content, but a murder occurring at its opening night in the theater. The millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw (1871-1947) murdered the famous architect Stanford White (1853-1906). The publicity of the event helped attract attention to the revue, which had a run of 60 performances.
In the 1930s, Woolf moved from New York City to Los Angeles. He was hired as a screenwriter for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His most frequent collaborator there was Florence Ryerson. The two co-wrote "The Wizard of Oz", and co-created the character of Professor Marvel.
He entertained fellow writers and directors as a host of dinner parties, and personally cooked for his guests.
In 1943, Woolf took daily walks with his pet dog,. In December of that year, he apparently tripped on the dog's leash while walking down the stairs at his Beverly Hill residence. He fell down the stairs, and suffered a fatal skull fracture. His servants transported him to a hospital in Santa Monica, where he died. He was 62-years-old.
