Franklin P. (Franklin Pierce) Adams

Born in Chicago in 1881, Franklin P. Adams built his reputation as a newspaper columnist, poet, and all-around wit. He wrote under the initials F.P.A., a byline that became widely known to readers who followed his humor, wordplay, and light verse.

His most famous work was "The Conning Tower," a long-running column that appeared in major New York newspapers and helped shape the modern newspaper column as a place for personality as well as opinion. Adams also became closely associated with the Algonquin Round Table, the celebrated circle of writers and critics whose quick talk and literary humor came to define an era.

Later, he reached an even wider audience as a regular panelist on the radio quiz show "Information Please." Remembered for his lively intelligence and polished comic style, Adams left behind a body of work that still captures the pleasure of clever language used with a light touch.