Corey Ford
Encyclopedia
Corey Ford was an American
humorist, author, outdoorsman, and screenwriter. He was also friendly with several members of the Algonquin Round Table
and occasionally ate lunch there.
Originally a member of the Class of 1923 at Columbia College of Columbia University
, at which he wrote the Varsity Show
"Half Moon Inn," he failed to graduate, instead proceeding into the career of a freelance writer and humorist. In the 1930s he was noted for satirical sketches of books and authors penned under the name "John Riddell". Richard Wright's "Black Boy" was lampooned as "Hollywood Boy" contrasting the author's celebrity with the raw story portrayed in the book. Theodore Dreiser was shown adopting the guise of a common workman building his newest and biggest novel from bricks and mortar. A forgotten book, "Dead Lovers are Good Lovers," was reviewed as "Dead Novelists are Good Novelists." Ford's series of "Impossible Interviews" for Vanity Fair magazine featured ill-assorted celebrities: Stalin vs John D. Rockefeller, Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes vs Al Capone, Sigmund Freud vs Jean Harlow, Sally Rand vs Martha Graham, Gertrude Stein vs Gracie Allen, Adolf Hitler vs Huey Long.
Born and raised in New York City, Ford had stories to tell of the literary scene in the twenties, of headhunters in Dutch Borneo, of U.S. airmen in combat during World War II and he was a great listener as well. He loved conversation and comradeship. A city boy, he fell in love with the outdoors generally and New Hampshire in particular, which led this world traveler to his rendezvous with Dartmouth College
.
In 1952, Ford moved to Hanover, New Hampshire
, home of Dartmouth College, where he became an adopted member of the Class of 1921. His connection with Dartmouth lay mainly in his relationships with students. He was an advisor to Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and to several student publications. In addition, he helped to organize the Dartmouth College Rugby
Football Club (or DRFC) and opened a gym in his home near the campus for students interested in boxing
. When he died in 1969, he left most of his estate, including his house, to the rugby club with instructions to use the money to build a clubhouse for the team. After many years of political and legal wrangling, the 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) Corey Ford Rugby Clubhouse was completed and dedicated in September, 2005.
Ford was an established writer—he published thirty books and more than five hundred magazine articles, with a gregarious sense of humor, a love of dogs and "underdogs." The then nascent Rugby Club fell into the latter category. In an article entitled "Football for Fun," written in 1959, he explained the association:
"Perhaps you wonder how I came to take up rugby. Well, the fact is that rugby took up me. My home here in Hanover adjoins the college playing-fields; and so in the course of time it has been adopted as headquarters of the Dartmouth Rugby Club, an independent organization which has no home of its own. I am hailed as ‘Coach’ for want of a better title."
In her introduction to The Corey Ford Collection in Dartmouth's Rauner Library, Mildred C. Tunis writes:
"To countless Dartmouth men, the name of Corey Ford will bring back nostalgia for some of their most meaningful experiences as undergraduates when he was coach of boxing and rugby, a fellow Delta Kappa Epsilon, advisor on student publications, counselor, and friend."
magazine. According to Ford's memoir, The Time of Laughter, the last name came from a maiden aunt and he chose the first name "for euphony." However, it appears that he may also have taken "Eustace" from Eustace L. Taylor, a Delta Kappa Epsilon
fraternity
brother from his alma mater, Columbia
.
for almost 20 years in the 1950s and 1960s. The column told about a fictional group of New England sportsman, detailing the club members' adventures in and around the town of Hardscrabble, Vermont. The primary characters in the column were Colonel Cobb, Judge Parker, Cousin Sid, Uncle Perk, Doc Hall, and Mister McNabb. The columns have been anthologized into several books such as Minutes of the Lower Forty, Uncle Perk's Jug, and The Corey Ford Sporting Treasury.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
humorist, author, outdoorsman, and screenwriter. He was also friendly with several members of the Algonquin Round Table
Algonquin Round Table
The Algonquin Round Table was a celebrated group of New York City writers, critics, actors and wits. Gathering initially as part of a practical joke, members of "The Vicious Circle", as they dubbed themselves, met for lunch each day at the Algonquin Hotel from 1919 until roughly 1929...
and occasionally ate lunch there.
Originally a member of the Class of 1923 at Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
, at which he wrote the Varsity Show
Varsity Show
The Varsity Show is one of the oldest traditions at Columbia University and certainly its oldest performing arts presentation. Founded in 1894 as a fundraiser for the university's fledgling athletic teams, the Varsity Show now draws together the entire Columbia undergraduate community for a series...
"Half Moon Inn," he failed to graduate, instead proceeding into the career of a freelance writer and humorist. In the 1930s he was noted for satirical sketches of books and authors penned under the name "John Riddell". Richard Wright's "Black Boy" was lampooned as "Hollywood Boy" contrasting the author's celebrity with the raw story portrayed in the book. Theodore Dreiser was shown adopting the guise of a common workman building his newest and biggest novel from bricks and mortar. A forgotten book, "Dead Lovers are Good Lovers," was reviewed as "Dead Novelists are Good Novelists." Ford's series of "Impossible Interviews" for Vanity Fair magazine featured ill-assorted celebrities: Stalin vs John D. Rockefeller, Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes vs Al Capone, Sigmund Freud vs Jean Harlow, Sally Rand vs Martha Graham, Gertrude Stein vs Gracie Allen, Adolf Hitler vs Huey Long.
Born and raised in New York City, Ford had stories to tell of the literary scene in the twenties, of headhunters in Dutch Borneo, of U.S. airmen in combat during World War II and he was a great listener as well. He loved conversation and comradeship. A city boy, he fell in love with the outdoors generally and New Hampshire in particular, which led this world traveler to his rendezvous with Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
.
In 1952, Ford moved to Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
, home of Dartmouth College, where he became an adopted member of the Class of 1921. His connection with Dartmouth lay mainly in his relationships with students. He was an advisor to Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and to several student publications. In addition, he helped to organize the Dartmouth College Rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
Football Club (or DRFC) and opened a gym in his home near the campus for students interested in boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. When he died in 1969, he left most of his estate, including his house, to the rugby club with instructions to use the money to build a clubhouse for the team. After many years of political and legal wrangling, the 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) Corey Ford Rugby Clubhouse was completed and dedicated in September, 2005.
Ford was an established writer—he published thirty books and more than five hundred magazine articles, with a gregarious sense of humor, a love of dogs and "underdogs." The then nascent Rugby Club fell into the latter category. In an article entitled "Football for Fun," written in 1959, he explained the association:
"Perhaps you wonder how I came to take up rugby. Well, the fact is that rugby took up me. My home here in Hanover adjoins the college playing-fields; and so in the course of time it has been adopted as headquarters of the Dartmouth Rugby Club, an independent organization which has no home of its own. I am hailed as ‘Coach’ for want of a better title."
In her introduction to The Corey Ford Collection in Dartmouth's Rauner Library, Mildred C. Tunis writes:
"To countless Dartmouth men, the name of Corey Ford will bring back nostalgia for some of their most meaningful experiences as undergraduates when he was coach of boxing and rugby, a fellow Delta Kappa Epsilon, advisor on student publications, counselor, and friend."
Eustace Tilley
Ford created the name Eustace Tilley for the dandyish, top-hatted symbol of The New YorkerThe New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
magazine. According to Ford's memoir, The Time of Laughter, the last name came from a maiden aunt and he chose the first name "for euphony." However, it appears that he may also have taken "Eustace" from Eustace L. Taylor, a Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon is a fraternity founded at Yale College in 1844 by 15 men of the sophomore class who had not been invited to join the two existing societies...
fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
brother from his alma mater, Columbia
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
.
The Lower Forty Hunting, Shooting and Inside Straight Club
Corey Ford is perhaps best remembered for his monthly column, "The Lower Forty Hunting, Shooting and Inside Straight Club", which he wrote for Field & StreamField & Stream
Field & Stream is a magazine featuring hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities in the United States. Together with Sports Afield and Outdoor Life, it is considered one of the Big Three of American outdoor publishing....
for almost 20 years in the 1950s and 1960s. The column told about a fictional group of New England sportsman, detailing the club members' adventures in and around the town of Hardscrabble, Vermont. The primary characters in the column were Colonel Cobb, Judge Parker, Cousin Sid, Uncle Perk, Doc Hall, and Mister McNabb. The columns have been anthologized into several books such as Minutes of the Lower Forty, Uncle Perk's Jug, and The Corey Ford Sporting Treasury.
Books
- Three Rousing Cheers for the Rollo Boys, 1925
- The Gazelle's Ears, 1926
- The Feminine Touch, 1926 (appears in the July 1926 issue of The Shrine magazine)
- Meaning No Offense, 1928
- Salt Water Taffy, 1929
- The John Riddell Murder CaseThe John Riddell Murder CaseThe John Riddell Murder Case is a novel written by Corey Ford under the pseudonym of John Riddell. It was published in 1930. Subtitled "A Philo Vance Parody", it also mocks a number of other best-selling books and authors of the time period.-Plot summary:...
, 1930 - Coconut Oil, 1931
- In The Worst Possible Taste, 1932
- From The Ground Up, 1943
- Short Cut To Tokyo, 1943
- War Below Zero, 1944
- Cloak and Dagger, 1946
- The Last Time I Saw Them, 1946
- Horse of Another Color, 1946
- A Man Of His Own, 1949
- How To Guess Your Age, 1950
- The Office Party, 1951
- Every Dog Should Have A Man, 1952
- Never Say Diet, 1954
- Has Anybody Seen Me Lately?, 1958
- You Can Always Tell A Fisherman(but can't tell him much), 1958
- The Day Nothing Happened, 1959
- Guide To Thimking, 1961
- What Every Bachelor Knows, 1961
- Minutes of the Lower Forty, 1962
- And How Do We Feel This Morning?, 1964
- Uncle Perk's Jug, 1964
- A Peculiar Service, 1965
- Where The Sea Breaks Its Back, 1966
- The Time of Laughter, 1967
- Donovan of OSS, 1970 (posthumously)
Filmography
- The Sophomore, 1929 (aka Compromised [UK])
- The Sport Parade, 1932
- The Half Naked Truth, 1932
- Her Bodyguard, 1933
- Topper Takes a Trip, 1938
- Start Cheering, 1938
- Remember?, 1939
- Winter Carnival, 1939
- Zenobia, 1939 (aka Elephants Never Forget [UK], aka It's Spring Again [USA])
- Cloak and Dagger, 1946