Eric Lax
Encyclopedia
Eric Lax is an American biographer and author of On Being Funny: Woody Allen and Comedy as well as several other books and articles.
He graduated from Hobart College
in 1966 with a major in English. Upon graduating he joined the Peace Corps
serving in Chuuk
and the Caroline Islands
in the western Pacific Ocean
. After completing his two-year placement, he worked in Washington D.C., with the Peace Corps organization in a capacity that allowed him to travel to more than 40 countries.
He left the Peace Corps in 1970 to pursue writing full time, and his interest in comedy
led to his first book, On Being Funny: Woody Allen and Comedy in 1975, which was part biography of Woody Allen
and part general treatise on comedy. Lax also interviewed Groucho Marx
for Life
during the veteran comedian's 1972 trip to perform in Iowa
.
In 1984 Lax wrote Life and Death on 10 West about the bone marrow
transplantation ward at the UCLA Medical Center, which was headed at the time by his college classmate Robert Peter Gale
. It was recognized by The New York Times Book Review
as one of the Notable Books of the Year and received an award from the Leukemia Society of America
. Lax later authored or coauthored biographies of Paul Newman
, Humphrey Bogart
, and Howard Walter Florey.
In addition to writing biographical books, Lax has written articles that have appeared in several periodical publications including The Atlantic Monthly
, Esquire
, the Los Angeles Times
, The New York Times Magazine
, Vanity Fair
, Life
, The Washington Monthly
, and The Washington Post
. He has worked as a contributing editor of Esquire magazine
.
He is also a member of the Board of Visitors, at the California Institute of the Arts
; a board member and past president of PEN American Center
West; a member of the International PEN
Board; and chair of the trustees of the International PEN Foundation.
Eric Lax has appeared in several video biographies and, as of February 2008, lives in Beverly Hills. He is married to Karen Sulzberger whose family owns the New York Times, and is a shareholder in the company who also enjoys the privileges of the Sulzberger family country homes.
He graduated from Hobart College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located in Geneva, New York, are together a liberal arts college offering Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. In athletics, however, the two schools compete with separate teams, known as the Hobart Statesmen and the...
in 1966 with a major in English. Upon graduating he joined the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
serving in Chuuk
Chuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia , along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's...
and the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
in the western Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. After completing his two-year placement, he worked in Washington D.C., with the Peace Corps organization in a capacity that allowed him to travel to more than 40 countries.
He left the Peace Corps in 1970 to pursue writing full time, and his interest in comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
led to his first book, On Being Funny: Woody Allen and Comedy in 1975, which was part biography of Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
and part general treatise on comedy. Lax also interviewed Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
for Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
during the veteran comedian's 1972 trip to perform in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
In 1984 Lax wrote Life and Death on 10 West about the bone marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
transplantation ward at the UCLA Medical Center, which was headed at the time by his college classmate Robert Peter Gale
Robert Peter Gale
Robert Peter Gale is an American physician and medical researcher. Leukemia and other bone marrow disorders have been the central theme of Gale’s basic scientific and clinical research for over 35 years....
. It was recognized by The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
as one of the Notable Books of the Year and received an award from the Leukemia Society of America
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society , founded in 1949, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. LLS's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of...
. Lax later authored or coauthored biographies of Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
, Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
, and Howard Walter Florey.
In addition to writing biographical books, Lax has written articles that have appeared in several periodical publications including The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic Monthly
The Atlantic is an American magazine founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1857. It was created as a literary and cultural commentary magazine. It quickly achieved a national reputation, which it held for more than a century. It was important for recognizing and publishing new writers and poets,...
, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
, Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
, The Washington Monthly
The Washington Monthly
The Washington Monthly is a bimonthly nonprofit magazine of United States politics and government that is based in Washington, D.C.The magazine's founder is Charles Peters, who started the magazine in 1969 and continues to write the "Tilting at Windmills" column in each issue. Paul Glastris, former...
, and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. He has worked as a contributing editor of Esquire magazine
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
.
He is also a member of the Board of Visitors, at the California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
; a board member and past president of PEN American Center
PEN American Center
PEN American Center , founded in 1922 and based in New York City, works to advance literature, to defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship. The Center has a membership of 3,300 writers, editors, and translators...
West; a member of the International PEN
International PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
Board; and chair of the trustees of the International PEN Foundation.
Eric Lax has appeared in several video biographies and, as of February 2008, lives in Beverly Hills. He is married to Karen Sulzberger whose family owns the New York Times, and is a shareholder in the company who also enjoys the privileges of the Sulzberger family country homes.