Pauline Phillips facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pauline Phillips
|
|
|---|---|
Publicity photo, 1961
|
|
| Born | Pauline Esther Friedman July 4, 1918 Sioux City, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | January 16, 2013 (aged 94) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Pen name | Abigail Van Buren ("Dear Abby") |
| Occupation |
|
| Alma mater | Morningside College |
| Spouse |
Morton Phillips
(m. 1939) |
| Children | 2, including Jeanne |
| Relatives |
|
Pauline Esther "Popo" Phillips (born Friedman; July 4, 1918 – January 16, 2013) was an American writer. She was also known as Abigail Van Buren. Pauline became famous for her newspaper column called Dear Abby, which started in 1956.
This column became super popular. It was printed in 1,400 newspapers and read by 110 million people! From 1963 to 1975, Phillips also hosted a daily Dear Abby radio show. TV anchorwoman Diane Sawyer called her the "pioneering queen of wise advice."
Contents
Early Life and Family
Pauline Friedman, nicknamed "Popo," was born in Sioux City, Iowa. Her parents, Rebecca and Abraham B. Friedman, were immigrants from Russia. Her father owned several movie theaters. Pauline was the youngest of four sisters.
Her identical twin sister was Esther Pauline Friedman. Esther later became the famous columnist Ann Landers. Esther started her column in 1955, and Pauline soon followed with her own.
Education and Marriage
Pauline went to Central High School in Sioux City. She then studied journalism and psychology at Morningside College. She and her twin sister even wrote a gossip column together for their college newspaper.
Pauline and her twin sister had a double wedding on July 2, 1939. This was just two days before their 21st birthday. Pauline married Morton Phillips of Minneapolis. They had two children, a son named Edward and a daughter named Jeanne.
Starting the Dear Abby Column
Pauline Phillips began her writing career in January 1956. She was 37 years old and had just moved to San Francisco. She called the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper. Pauline told him she could write a better advice column than the one they had.
The editor, Stanleigh Arnold, gave her some letters that needed answers. He asked her to bring back her replies in a week. Pauline returned her answers to the Chronicle in just an hour and a half! She told Larry King in an interview that she had no work experience before this. The editor was very impressed. He said her writing was "fabulous" and hired her that same day.
Choosing a Pen Name
Pauline chose the pen name Abigail Van Buren. She picked "Abigail" from a wise woman in the Old Testament of the Bible. "Van Buren" came from President Martin Van Buren.
Her twin sister wrote the Ann Landers column. This created a lot of competition between them for many years. In 1956, Phillips offered her column to the Sioux City Journal at a lower price. She asked the paper not to print her sister's column. The sisters seemed to make up in 1964, but they stayed competitors. By 1958, Life magazine called them "the most widely read and most quoted women in the world."
Writing Style and Advice
Newspapers had advice columnists for a long time. But Pauline and her sister added something special. They were the first to publish letters and replies about many personal problems. Their answers were often witty and full of common sense. The editor of the Chicago Sun-Times said their skill was "very close to genuine wisdom."
Phillips said she did not publish the most sensitive letters she received. Instead, she replied to those letters privately. Sometimes she would write a short note on the letter. Then, one of her secretaries would write a full response using her advice.
Personal Life and Views
Pauline Phillips believed in putting family first. She thought that a good marriage was very important. In her later years, she understood that sometimes divorce was the best option. She also thought about how a bad marriage could affect children. She said, "When kids see parents fighting... I think it is terribly damaging."
Phillips supported gay rights. An episode of the podcast “Making Gay History” is about her.
Friends and Recognition
Both Pauline and her sister enjoyed spending time with famous people. Because they were so well-known, celebrities liked to be seen with them. Phillips became friends with politicians like Senators Hubert Humphrey and Herbert Lehman. She also knew entertainers like Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin.
Phillips was Jewish. She was an honorary member of several groups. These included Women in Communications and the National Council of Jewish Women.
Her columns were collected into several books. Some titles include Dear Abby, Dear Teenager, and The Best of Dear Abby. She once said that writing is "only work if you'd rather be doing something else."
Later Years and Legacy
Pauline co-wrote the Dear Abby column with her daughter Jeanne starting in 1987. In 2002, Pauline was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. This made it impossible for her to keep writing. Her daughter Jeanne then took over all the writing for Dear Abby.
Death
Pauline Phillips passed away on January 16, 2013. She was 94 years old. She had battled Alzheimer's disease for 11 years. She was survived by her husband of 73 years, Morton Phillips. She also left behind her daughter Jeanne, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Her son, Edward, had passed away two years earlier.
See also
- List of newspaper columnists
- Poisoned candy scare
