author
Samuel Hoffenstein
1889–1947
A witty poet and screenwriter, he moved from newspaper work and light verse into Hollywood, where he helped shape smart, elegant films of the 1930s and 1940s.
1 Audiobook
The Broadway Anthology
by Edward L. Bernays, Samuel Hoffenstein, Walter J. Kingsley, Murdock Pemberton
About the author
Born in 1890 and brought to the United States as a child, Samuel Hoffenstein built an unusually varied career as a journalist, humorist, poet, playwright, and screenwriter. He studied at Lafayette College and worked in newspapers before becoming known for his sharp, funny writing in magazines and on the stage.
In Hollywood, he wrote or co-wrote scripts for a long list of films, including Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Wizard of Oz, Laura, and Cluny Brown. His reputation rests on that rare mix of literary wit and screen sense: he could be playful, polished, and emotionally precise without ever sounding stiff.
Hoffenstein died in 1947. He is still remembered both for his light verse and for film writing that helped define the tone of classic studio-era cinema.