James M. Cain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James M. Cain
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Cain in 1938
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| Born | James Mallahan Cain July 1, 1892 Annapolis, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | October 27, 1977 (aged 85) University Park, Maryland, U.S. |
| Occupation | Novelist, journalist |
| Alma mater | Washington College |
| Genre | Crime |
| Spouse | married four times |
| Children | none |
James Mallahan Cain (born July 1, 1892 – died October 27, 1977) was an American writer. He wrote exciting novels, worked as a journalist, and even tried writing for movies. He is known for helping create the "hardboiled" style of crime stories. This style often features tough, realistic characters and situations.
Many of his books became very popular. These include The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934), Double Indemnity (1936), and Mildred Pierce (1941).
Even though Cain didn't write many successful movie scripts himself, several of his novels were turned into famous films. Some of these well-known movies are Double Indemnity (1944) and Mildred Pierce (1945). He continued writing and publishing novels until he was in his eighties. Some of his works were even published after he passed away.
Contents
Early Life and Family
James M. Cain's grandparents came from Ireland in the 1850s and settled in New Haven, Connecticut. His paternal grandfather, P. W. Cain, worked as a superintendent for a railroad company.
James's father, James W. Cain, was very smart and athletic. He went to Yale University and later became a professor at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland.
Cain's mother, Rose Mallahan, was a talented singer. She trained for seven years to become an opera singer. However, she decided to marry James W. Cain in 1890 instead of pursuing her music career. James Mallahan Cain, their first child, was born on July 1, 1892.
Education and Early Interests
James Cain started school in Annapolis in 1898. Growing up with two parents who loved reading helped him develop excellent grammar and a passion for books. His father, who was head of the Annapolis School Board, allowed James to skip two grades.
In 1903, when James was eleven, his family moved to Chestertown, Maryland. His father became the President of Washington College there.
While in Chestertown, James met a bricklayer named Ike Newton. This man taught James about the way everyday people spoke. This experience influenced Cain's writing style later on. By age 12, James was a huge reader. He enjoyed books by famous authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Robert Louis Stevenson. He even took classes at Washington College with students much older than him.
James graduated from Washington College just before his eighteenth birthday. He earned a degree in arts. At this time, he wasn't sure what career he wanted to pursue.
First Jobs and Writing Dreams
After college, Cain moved to Baltimore and tried different jobs. He worked as a clerk and a road inspector. His clear reports made him think about a career in writing.
In 1913, he became a high school principal in Vienna, Maryland. He also enjoyed singing at community events. He wanted to become a professional opera singer, but his mother, who was a trained singer, told him he didn't have the voice for it.
Cain then moved to Washington D.C. to take voice lessons. He tried selling insurance and Victrolas (old record players) to support himself. However, he wasn't successful in sales. He soon gave up his dream of singing and decided to focus on becoming a writer. His parents supported this new goal.
In 1914, Cain returned to Chestertown and taught English at Washington College. He also earned a master's degree in drama. He tried to write stories for years but didn't have much success at first.
Starting a Journalism Career
In the summer of 1917, the Baltimore American newspaper hired Cain as a new reporter. His first article was so good that he was quickly given important assignments about World War I. He briefly taught math but soon returned to journalism, working for The Baltimore Sun in early 1918.
In June 1918, Cain joined the army during World War I. He was assigned to the 79th Infantry Division in France. He worked at observation posts during battles. His experiences in the war later inspired his short story "The Taking of Montfaucon." He also edited a newsletter for his division called The Lorraine Cross.
Cain left the army in June 1919.
Journalism in the 1920s
After the war, Cain went back to work for The Baltimore Sun. He covered the industrial labor movement and other important topics.
In 1920, Cain married Mary Rebekah Clough, his college sweetheart. They later separated in 1924 and divorced in 1927.
Cain became interested in the writing of H. L. Mencken, a famous editor of The Smart Set magazine. This connection was very important for Cain's career. He started writing for Mencken's new magazine, The American Mercury, in 1924. This helped him become known as a major magazine writer.
Cain moved to New York City and focused only on writing. He wrote funny and critical articles about American life. In 1925, he wrote a satirical piece called "The Hero."
He also worked as an editorial writer for the New York World newspaper. His writing was clear, well-written, and entertaining. He wrote many pieces for the World and was highly respected.
Cain was interested in writing novels. He was encouraged by other writers and publishers. He wrote a play called Crashing the Gates in 1926, but it wasn't very successful.
In 1927, Cain married Elina Tyszecki. She had two children from a previous marriage, and Cain was very close to them. They divorced in 1942.
Becoming a Novelist
When he was 36, Cain wrote his first short story, "Pastorale" (1928). It was published in The American Mercury. This story was written from the point of view of a character, which became a style Cain was very good at. He felt he could write best when pretending to be someone else.
In 1930, a collection of his writings was published as Our Government.
In 1931, Cain worked as a managing editor for The New Yorker magazine for nine months. He worked with famous writers like James Thurber. However, he left to become a screenwriter for Paramount Pictures in Hollywood.
Hollywood and Famous Novels
Cain didn't enjoy working in Hollywood very much. He was hired by Paramount Pictures but was soon let go. In 1932, while unemployed, he wrote a short story called "The Baby in the Icebox". This story became very popular and was even made into a film.
In 1933, Cain started writing the novel that would make him famous: The Postman Always Rings Twice. It was published in 1934 and became an instant success with both critics and readers. This book showed his skill in writing from a character's first-person perspective.
He also wrote a play based on The Postman Always Rings Twice, which opened in 1936. However, it didn't do well.
Cain then wrote Double Indemnity, which was published as a magazine series in 1936. This story about an insurance fraud was written in a similar style to The Postman. It is considered one of his best works. The 1944 film based on it, directed by Billy Wilder, is a classic movie.
His next novel, Serenade (1938), was about opera and explored artistic creativity. This book also caused a lot of discussion and kept him famous.
Later Career and Personal Life
Cain loved music, especially opera, and used it in several of his books. His fourth wife, Florence Macbeth, was a retired opera singer.
Even though he spent many years in Hollywood, Cain only received credit as a screenwriter for a few films, like Stand Up and Fight (1939).
In 1946, Cain suggested creating an "American Authors' Authority." This idea was meant to help writers protect their copyrights and negotiate contracts. However, the plan did not get enough support and was eventually dropped.
Cain was married four times. His first marriage was to Mary Clough. His second marriage was to Elina Tyszecki, and he was very close to her two children. In 1944, he married actress Aileen Pringle, but they divorced two years later. His fourth marriage was to Florence Macbeth, which lasted until her death in 1966.
James M. Cain continued writing novels until he passed away at the age of 85. While he published many books in his later years, none reached the same level of fame as his earlier works.
Plays
- Crashing the Gates (1926)
- The Postman Always Rings Twice (1936, 1953)
- 7-11 (1937)
Non-fiction Work
- Paradise (1933)
Films Based on Cain's Works
Many films were made from James M. Cain's novels, stories, and screenplays.
- She Made Her Bed (1934), based on "The Baby in the Icebox"
- Le Dernier tournant (France, 1939), based on The Postman Always Rings Twice
- When Tomorrow Comes (1939), based on The Root of His Evil
- Money and the Woman (1940), based on "The Embezzler"
- Ossessione (Italy, 1943), based on The Postman Always Rings Twice
- Double Indemnity (1944), a famous film based on his novel
- Mildred Pierce (1945)
- The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
- Everybody Does It (1949), based on "Two Can Sing"
- Slightly Scarlet (1956), based on Love's Lovely Counterfeit
- Serenade (1956)
- Interlude (1957), based on The Root of His Evil
- The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- Butterfly (1982)
- Mildred Pierce (2011), a TV mini-series
See also
In Spanish: James M. Cain para niños
