George Plimpton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Plimpton
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Plimpton in 1977
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| Born |
George Ames Plimpton
March 18, 1927 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | September 25, 2003 (aged 76) New York City, U.S.
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| Education | Harvard University (BA) King's College, Cambridge (BA) |
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| Spouse(s) |
Freddy Medora Espy
(m. 1968; div. 1988)Sarah Whitehead Dudley
(m. 1991) |
| Children | 4 |
George Ames Plimpton (born March 18, 1927, died September 25, 2003) was a famous American writer. He was well-known for his exciting sports writing. He also helped start The Paris Review, a very important literary magazine.
Plimpton was special because of his "participatory journalism" style. This meant he would join in professional events himself. He played in sports games, acted in movies, and even performed a comedy show. He would then write about these experiences from an amateur's point of view.
Contents
Early Life and Family
George Plimpton was born in New York City on March 18, 1927. He grew up in a large apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. In the summers, he stayed in West Hills, Long Island.
His father, Francis T. P. Plimpton, was a successful lawyer. He also worked for the United States at the United Nations. George's mother was Pauline Ames. George had three siblings: Francis Jr., Oakes, and Sarah.
Education and Military Service
Plimpton went to St. Bernard's School and Phillips Exeter Academy. He finished high school at Daytona Beach High School. In 1944, he started at Harvard College.
At Harvard, he wrote for the Harvard Lampoon humor magazine. He was also part of several clubs. His studies were paused from 1945 to 1948 for military service. He served in Italy as an Army tank driver during World War II. After Harvard, he studied at King's College, Cambridge, in England until 1952.
A Career in Writing
George Plimpton had a very interesting career as a writer and editor. He often put himself in unusual situations to write about them.
Starting The Paris Review
In 1953, Plimpton became the first editor-in-chief of The Paris Review. This magazine became very important in the world of literature. It helped discover many new writers. Plimpton helped fund the magazine for many years.
Participating in Sports
Plimpton was famous for trying out professional sports. He would then write about his experiences.
- In 1958, he pitched against famous baseball players at Yankee Stadium. He wrote about this in his book Out of My League.
- He boxed against champions like Archie Moore and Sugar Ray Robinson.
- In 1963, he trained with the Detroit Lions football team as a backup quarterback. This led to his most famous book, Paper Lion. This book was later made into a movie starring Alan Alda.
- He also trained as an ice hockey goalie with the Boston Bruins. He even played in a preseason game. He wrote about this in Open Net.
- He tried to play professional golf on the PGA Tour. This was for his book The Bogey Man.
- He even tried being a high-wire circus performer.
In 1994, Plimpton appeared in the Ken Burns TV series Baseball. He shared his own baseball stories and other memorable moments from the sport's history.
The Sidd Finch Prank
On April 1, 1985, Plimpton played a famous April Fools' Day prank. He wrote a story for Sports Illustrated about a new baseball pitcher named Sidd Finch. The story claimed Finch could throw a baseball over 160 miles per hour! Many readers believed the story. Plimpton later wrote a whole book about this made-up character.
Other Writings
Plimpton also edited books like Edie: An American Biography. He wrote the story for a new opera called Animal Tales. He believed in trying new things. He once wrote, "I suppose in a mild way there is a lesson to be learned for the young, or the young at heart – the gumption to get out and try one's wings."
Acting Roles
George Plimpton also appeared in many movies and TV shows. He often played small roles or himself.
- He was in the Oscar-winning film Good Will Hunting as a psychologist.
- He played Tom Hanks's father in the movie Volunteers.
- He hosted Disney Channel's Mouseterpiece Theater, a funny show featuring Disney cartoons.
- He had a recurring role as Dr. Carter's grandfather on the TV series ER.
- He also appeared in an episode of the sitcom Wings.
- In The Simpsons episode "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can", he hosted the "Spellympics."
- He appeared in the documentary When We Were Kings about the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" boxing match.
Fireworks Enthusiast
Plimpton was a demolitions expert in the Army after World War II. He loved fireworks and often set them off at his parties. He was even named the unofficial Fireworks Commissioner of New York City.
In 1975, Plimpton tried to set a world record for the largest firework. His firework, named "Fat Man," weighed 720 pounds. It exploded on the ground, making a huge crater. A later attempt broke 700 windows in a nearby town! Despite these challenges, Plimpton and his team won an international fireworks festival in Monte Carlo in 1979. He later wrote a book called Fireworks.
Personal Life
Plimpton was known for his unique accent. People often thought he sounded English. He described it as a "New England cosmopolitan accent."
He was married twice. His first wife was Freddy Medora Espy. They had two children, Medora and Taylor. Later, he married Sarah Whitehead Dudley. They had twin daughters, Laura and Olivia.
Friendship with Robert F. Kennedy
At Harvard, Plimpton became a close friend of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1968, when Kennedy was shot, Plimpton was there. He helped to hold down the attacker, Sirhan Sirhan.
Death and Tributes
George Plimpton died on September 25, 2003, in his New York City apartment. He was 76 years old. His death was caused by a heart attack.
Many writers and friends shared their memories of Plimpton in a book called George, Being George. The documentary Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself was also made about his life. In 2009, an asteroid was named 7932 Plimpton in his honor.
Selected Works
Here are some of George Plimpton's notable works:
Books by Plimpton
- Out of My League (1961) – About his baseball experience.
- Paper Lion (1966) – His most famous book about playing football with the Detroit Lions.
- The Bogey Man (1967) – About his attempt at professional golf.
- Mad Ducks and Bears (1973) – More football stories.
- Shadow Box (1977) – About boxing.
- Fireworks: A History and Celebration (1984) – His book about fireworks.
- Open Net (1985) – About playing ice hockey.
- The Curious Case of Sidd Finch (1987) – The novel based on his April Fools' Day prank.
Books Edited by Plimpton
- Writers at Work (The Paris Review Interviews)
- American Journey: the Times of Robert Kennedy (with Jean Stein)
- Edie: An American Girl
Film Appearances
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- Paper Lion (1968) – Uncredited cameo.
- Rio Lobo (1970)
- Reds (1981)
- Volunteers (1985)
- The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
- L.A. Story (1991)
- Little Man Tate (1991)
- Ken Burns' Baseball (1994) – Himself.
- Good Will Hunting (1997) – Henry Lipkin – Psychologist.
- EDtv (1999)
- Just Visiting (2001)
- Factory Girl (2006) – Himself.
- Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself (2012) – Himself.
Television Appearances
- Plimpton! The Man on the Flying Trapeze (1971) – Himself.
- Mouseterpiece Theater (1983–1984) – Host.
- The Civil War (1990) – Reading a diary.
- Wings (1994) – Dr. Grayson.
- ER (1998, 2001) – John Truman Carter, Sr.
- Just Shoot Me (2000) – Himself.
- A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–02) – Various roles.
- The Simpsons (2003) – Himself.
Images for kids
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Plimpton with Herb Caen and Ann Moller in 1993
