Franklin P. (Franklin Pierce) Adams

Born in Chicago in 1881, Franklin P. Adams became one of America's best-known columnists, usually writing under the initials F.P.A. His fame grew through The Conning Tower, a newspaper column that mixed light verse, commentary, jokes, and literary play in a style that influenced generations of columnists.

Adams was more than a journalist: he also wrote poetry and humorous books, translated verse, and became a regular panelist on the radio quiz show Information Please. His quick wit and wide reading made him a natural public personality as well as a popular print writer.

He is also remembered as a member of the Algonquin Round Table, the famous New York circle of writers and performers known for its talk and satire. Adams died in New York City in 1960, but his byline remained a shorthand for smart, polished newspaper humor.