Bennett Cerf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bennett Cerf
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Cerf on the set of What's My Line, 1952
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| Born | Bennett Alfred Cerf May 25, 1898 Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 27, 1971 (aged 73) Mount Kisco, New York, U.S. |
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| Language | English |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
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Bennett Alfred Cerf (born May 25, 1898 – died August 27, 1971) was an American publisher. He was a co-founder of the famous publishing company Random House. Cerf was also well-known for his collections of jokes and puns. He often gave talks across the United States. Many people also knew him from his appearances on the TV game show What's My Line?
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The Early Life of Bennett Cerf
Bennett Cerf was born on May 25, 1898, in Manhattan, New York. His family was Jewish, with roots in Alsace and Germany. His father, Gustave Cerf, worked as a lithographer, which is someone who makes prints. His mother, Frederika Wise, came from a wealthy family that distributed tobacco.
When Bennett was fifteen, his mother passed away. Soon after, his uncle Herbert moved in with them. His uncle had a big influence on Bennett, especially in his love for books and social life.
Education and Starting in Publishing
Cerf went to Townsend Harris High School and graduated in 1916. Other famous people, like publisher Richard L. Simon, also went there. He then studied at Columbia University, earning his first degree in 1919. He also got a degree from its School of Journalism in 1920.
After college, he worked briefly as a reporter for a newspaper. He also spent some time working for a Wall Street brokerage firm, which deals with buying and selling stocks. Later, he became a vice-president at a publishing company called Boni & Liveright.
Founding Random House
In 1925, Bennett Cerf and his partner, Donald S. Klopfer, bought the rights to a book series called the Modern Library. This series offered classic books at affordable prices. They worked hard to make the series even more popular.
In 1927, they decided to start publishing other types of books. They chose these books "at random," which means without a specific plan or category. This idea led them to name their new company Random House. Their company logo, a small house, was designed by Cerf's friend, Rockwell Kent.
Publishing Important Authors
Bennett Cerf was very good at building relationships with writers. This helped him sign contracts with many famous authors. Some of these writers included William Faulkner, John O'Hara, Eugene O'Neill, and Truman Capote. He also published books by Theodor Seuss Geisel, who wrote many beloved children's books.
One notable book he published was Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Even though he disagreed with her ideas, he admired her honesty and brilliance. They remained friends throughout their lives.
Fighting for Freedom to Publish
In 1933, Cerf and Random House won an important court case called United States v. One Book Called Ulysses. This case was about fighting against government censorship. It allowed Random House to be the first in the United States to publish James Joyce's complete novel, Ulysses.
Before this, parts of the book had been called "obscene." Random House wanted to publish the full book without trouble. So, they arranged for a copy of the French edition to be seized by the United States Customs Service. This created a test case in court. The court decided that the book was not obscene and could be published. This was a big win for freedom of speech and publishing.
Becoming a Public Figure
Cerf also became famous for his collections of jokes. In 1944, he published his first joke book, Try and Stop Me. He followed this with another book, Shake Well before Using, in 1949.
He also wrote a weekly column called "The Cerf Board" in a Sunday magazine. In 1959, a special collection of his best jokes and stories was published.
Television Appearances
Before 1951, Cerf sometimes appeared on a game show called Who Said That?. On this show, celebrities tried to guess who said famous quotes from the news.
In 1951, he started appearing every week on the popular game show What's My Line?. He was a regular panelist for 16 years, until the show ended in 1967. Even after that, he continued to appear on a later version of the show. On What's My Line?, a panel of celebrities tried to guess the unusual jobs of guests. Cerf was known for his wit and humor on the show.
Later Years and Family Life
Bennett Cerf was interviewed in the late 1960s. He said he was most proud of the awards he received from humor magazines like The Yale Record and The Harvard Lampoon.
Cerf married actress Sylvia Sidney in 1935, but they divorced a year later. In 1940, he married Hollywood actress Phyllis Fraser. She was a cousin of the famous dancer and actress Ginger Rogers. Bennett and Phyllis had two sons, Christopher and Jonathan.
In the early 1950s, the Cerf family bought a country home in Mount Kisco, New York. This became his main home for the rest of his life. There's even a street named Cerf Lane in Mount Kisco, named after him.
Death and Legacy
Bennett Cerf passed away from natural causes in Mount Kisco on August 27, 1971. He was 73 years old. His wife and sons survived him.
After his death, Random House published his autobiography, At Random: The Reminiscences of Bennett Cerf, in 1977. His legacy lives on through Random House, which remains one of the largest and most respected publishing companies in the world. A street and a park in Maryland are also named after him, near a Random House distribution center.
See also
In Spanish: Bennett Cerf para niños
Images for kids
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Cerf on the set of What's My Line, 1952
