Jack Hemingway
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Hadley Nicanor Hemingway (October 10, 1923 – December 1, 2000) was an American writer and conservationist. He was born in Toronto
, Canada, the only child of American writer Ernest Hemingway
's marriage to his first wife Hadley Richardson
. He would later gain two half-brothers from Hemingway's second marriage to Pauline Pfeiffer
. Jack was named for his mother and a noted Spanish matador Nicanor Villalta y Serris, whom his father had grown to admire in the year of Jack's birth.
Nicknamed "Bumby", Hemingway spent his early years in Paris, France, and the Austrian Alps. Gertrude Stein
and her partner, Alice B. Toklas
, were his godparents.
He served in World War II as a member of the Office of Strategic Services
(OSS), a United States wartime intelligence agency
formed during World War II—and the predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency
—working specifically with the French Resistance
. In October 1944 he was wounded and captured by the Nazis behind their lines in the Vosges
, France. He was kept as a prisoner-of-war at Mosberg Prison Camp until April 1945.
Following World War II he was stationed in West Berlin
, Germany. Hemingway married Byra L. "Puck" Whittlesey on June 25, 1949, in Paris, attended by Julia Child
and Alice B. Toklas. The couple had three children: Joan "Muffet" Hemingway (born 1950), Margaux Louise Hemingway
(1954—1996), an actress and model, and Mariel Hadley Hemingway
(born 1961), an actress, entrepreneur and writer. Puck died in 1988. Margaux died of a barbiturate
overdose
at age 42.
He helped finish his father's autobiography, A Moveable Feast
(1964)—his father's set of memoir
s of his life in 1920s Paris—which was published three years after his father's death in 1961. Throughout his life, Jack Hemingway was an avid fly fisherman
. He visited several of the world's best salmon rivers, such as the Norwegian Lærdalselva River. Hemingway also wrote an autobiography, Misadventures of a Fly Fisherman: My life with and without Papa.
He died on December 1, 2000, at age 77, after suffering complications of heart surgery in New York City.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada, the only child of American writer Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
's marriage to his first wife Hadley Richardson
Hadley Richardson
Elizabeth Hadley Richardson married writer Ernest Hemingway in 1921. She was born the youngest daughter to a St. Louis family. After Hadley fell out of a window as a child, her mother became overprotective and curtailed her activities from then on...
. He would later gain two half-brothers from Hemingway's second marriage to Pauline Pfeiffer
Pauline Pfeiffer
Pauline Marie Pfeiffer was the second wife of the writer Ernest Hemingway. She was born in Parkersburg, Iowa, on July 22, 1895, moving to St. Louis in 1901 where she went to school at Visitation Academy of St. Louis...
. Jack was named for his mother and a noted Spanish matador Nicanor Villalta y Serris, whom his father had grown to admire in the year of Jack's birth.
Nicknamed "Bumby", Hemingway spent his early years in Paris, France, and the Austrian Alps. Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
and her partner, Alice B. Toklas
Alice B. Toklas
Alice B. Toklas was an American-born member of the Parisian avant-garde of the early 20th century.-Early life, relationship with Gertrude Stein:...
, were his godparents.
He served in World War II as a member of the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(OSS), a United States wartime intelligence agency
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
formed during World War II—and the predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
—working specifically with the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. In October 1944 he was wounded and captured by the Nazis behind their lines in the Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
, France. He was kept as a prisoner-of-war at Mosberg Prison Camp until April 1945.
Following World War II he was stationed in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, Germany. Hemingway married Byra L. "Puck" Whittlesey on June 25, 1949, in Paris, attended by Julia Child
Julia Child
Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which...
and Alice B. Toklas. The couple had three children: Joan "Muffet" Hemingway (born 1950), Margaux Louise Hemingway
Margaux Hemingway
Margaux Hemingway was an American fashion model and actress.- Early life :Margot Louise Hemingway was born in Portland, Oregon, and was the older sister of actress Mariel Hemingway and the granddaughter of writer Ernest Hemingway...
(1954—1996), an actress and model, and Mariel Hadley Hemingway
Mariel Hemingway
- Early life :Hemingway was born in Mill Valley, California, the third daughter of Byra Louise Hemingway and Jack Hemingway, a writer. Her sisters are Joan Hemingway and Margaux Hemingway...
(born 1961), an actress, entrepreneur and writer. Puck died in 1988. Margaux died of a barbiturate
Barbiturate
Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia. They are also effective as anxiolytics, as hypnotics, and as anticonvulsants...
overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
at age 42.
He helped finish his father's autobiography, A Moveable Feast
A Moveable Feast
A Moveable Feast is a set of memoirs by American author Ernest Hemingway about his years in Paris as part of the American expatriate circle of writers in the 1920s. The book describes Hemingway's apprenticeship as a young writer in Europe during the 1920s with his first wife, Hadley...
(1964)—his father's set of memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
s of his life in 1920s Paris—which was published three years after his father's death in 1961. Throughout his life, Jack Hemingway was an avid fly fisherman
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
. He visited several of the world's best salmon rivers, such as the Norwegian Lærdalselva River. Hemingway also wrote an autobiography, Misadventures of a Fly Fisherman: My life with and without Papa.
He died on December 1, 2000, at age 77, after suffering complications of heart surgery in New York City.
External links
- Homberger, Eric (December 4, 2000). "Obituary: Jack Hemingway". Obituary from The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. Accessed August 26, 2009. - Last Interview