Frank Brookhouser
Encyclopedia
Frank Brookhouser was an American
journalist
and writer
.
He was born to Walter L. and Miriam Fischer Brookhouser in Ford City
, Pennsylvania
. He graduated from Ford City High School
and Temple University
in Philadelphia
. In 1939 he married Helen E. Hanway. He served in the U. S. Army for three years during World War II
.
Brookhouser began his career in journalism as an editor (1932-1935) for his hometown paper, the Ford City News. He became sports editor (1935-1936) at the Monongahela Daily Republican in Monongahela, Pennsylvania
, then landed a beat reporting job in Philadelphia in 1936 at the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
. The Philadelphia Inquirer
hired him in 1939, where he became a popular columnist. He moved his column, "A Man about Town", back to the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin in 1953 for the remainder of his journalism career. In the 1950s he also did weekly television show and a daily evening radio show.
Brookhouser's columns were re-edited into his book portrait of Philadelphia, Our Philadelphia, the first sentence of which pays tribute to typesetters Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff
and Benjamin Franklin
as exemplar Philadelphians. While writing "A Man about Town", Brookhouser had previously attracted national attention by omitting the letter "u" (and being promptly corrected) in reporting Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff's 1952 voter registration under the 35-letter surname.
As well as journalism, Brookhouser published hundreds of short stories and one novel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
He was born to Walter L. and Miriam Fischer Brookhouser in Ford City
Ford City, Pennsylvania
Ford City is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, northeast of Pittsburgh along the east bank of the Allegheny River and 4 miles south of Kittanning, the county seat....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He graduated from Ford City High School
Ford City High School
Ford City High School is a public high school located in Ford City, Pennsylvania. The school serves grades 7 through 12 as part of the Armstrong School District .-Academic achievement:...
and Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. In 1939 he married Helen E. Hanway. He served in the U. S. Army for three years during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Brookhouser began his career in journalism as an editor (1932-1935) for his hometown paper, the Ford City News. He became sports editor (1935-1936) at the Monongahela Daily Republican in Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, colloquially called "Mon City," is a Third Class City in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, located approximately south of the city proper. The population was 4,761 at the 2000 census...
, then landed a beat reporting job in Philadelphia in 1936 at the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
Philadelphia Bulletin
For the 2004 resurrection of the Bulletin, see The Bulletin .The Philadelphia Bulletin was a daily evening newspaper published from 1847 to 1982 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the largest circulation newspaper in Philadelphia for 76 years and was once the largest evening newspaper in the...
. The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
hired him in 1939, where he became a popular columnist. He moved his column, "A Man about Town", back to the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin in 1953 for the remainder of his journalism career. In the 1950s he also did weekly television show and a daily evening radio show.
Brookhouser's columns were re-edited into his book portrait of Philadelphia, Our Philadelphia, the first sentence of which pays tribute to typesetters Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff
Wolfe+585, Senior
Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff, Sr. is the short name of a Philadelphian typesetter, who has the longest personal name ever used. "585" represents the number of additional letters in his full surname...
and Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
as exemplar Philadelphians. While writing "A Man about Town", Brookhouser had previously attracted national attention by omitting the letter "u" (and being promptly corrected) in reporting Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff's 1952 voter registration under the 35-letter surname.
As well as journalism, Brookhouser published hundreds of short stories and one novel.
Works
- Request for Sherwood Anderson, short stories (Denver: Alan Swallow, 1947)
- She Made the Big Town, short stories (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1952)
- Now I Lay Me Down, novel (Denver: Alan Swallow, 1955)
- Our Philadelphia: A Candid and Colorful Portrait of a Great City, newspaper columns (Garden City: Doubleday, 1957)
- These Were Our Years, anthology (Garden City: Doubleday, 1959)
- This Was Your War, anthology (Garden City: Doubleday, 1960)