Judith Krantz facts for kids

Judith Krantz (born Tarcher; January 9, 1928 – June 22, 2019) was a famous American writer. She started her career as a magazine writer and fashion editor. Later, when she was almost 50 years old, she began writing novels.

Her first novel, Scruples (1978), quickly became a top seller. It was a huge success around the world and was translated into 50 languages. Judith Krantz also changed the publishing world. She became one of the first authors to be a celebrity. She traveled a lot and promoted her books, becoming known as a "superstar of fiction." Some of her other popular books include Princess Daisy (1980) and Till We Meet Again (1988).

Biography

Early Life

Judith Bluma-Gittel Tarcher was born in New York City on January 9, 1928. Her mother, Mary, was a lawyer, and her father, Jack, worked in advertising. Her family was Jewish.

Judith was a very bright student. She graduated from the Birch Wathen School when she was just 16. After high school, she went to Wellesley College. She had three main goals at college: to go on dates, to read every novel in the library, and to graduate. She was very popular for dating.

In a writing class during her second year, her professor liked her stories. However, he gave her a lower grade because her spelling was not good. Judith Krantz said this taught her a lesson. She did not write fiction again for 31 years!

After graduating from Wellesley in 1948, Krantz moved to Paris, France. There, she worked in fashion public relations. She enjoyed going to fancy parties, wearing beautiful clothes, and meeting famous people. These included Marlene Dietrich and Orson Welles.

Magazine Career

In 1949, Judith Krantz returned to New York City. She began a career in magazine journalism. She worked at Good Housekeeping magazine. She started in the fiction department and later became a fashion editor. This gave her the chance to write many articles for the magazine.

In 1953, Krantz met her future husband, Steve Krantz, at a party. He later became a film and television producer. They got married on February 19, 1954. Three years later, she had her first son. She decided to work part-time from home instead of full-time. She wrote many articles for magazines like Maclean's and Cosmopolitan. Her magazine work allowed her to interview many important women.

Becoming a Novelist

In 1976, Judith Krantz decided to face her fears. She joined her husband in taking flying lessons, even though she was afraid to fly. After overcoming that fear, she decided to try writing fiction again. This was the first time since college. Her husband had always told her she was a natural storyteller.

She finished her first novel, Scruples, just nine months later. It was published in 1978, the year she turned 50. This book quickly became the number one bestseller on The New York Times list. Later, she wrote two sequels: Scruples Two (1992) and Lovers (1994).

Her second novel, Princess Daisy, came out in 1980. This book earned her a huge amount of money even before it was published. It also became a number one bestseller. Princess Daisy is about a very rich and glamorous young woman who faces many challenges.

Krantz continued to write many popular books. These included Mistral's Daughter (1982), which is a story about different generations of a family. I'll Take Manhattan (1986) is about a writer and socialite. Her book Till We Meet Again (1988) was her last to be on the top ten bestseller lists. However, her later novels remained very popular.

Spring Collection (1996) is set in the world of fashion. The Jewels of Tessa Kent (1998) explores the relationships between mothers and daughters. Judith Krantz stopped writing in 1998 when she was 70 years old. She felt she had told all the stories she wanted to share.

More than 80 million copies of her books have been printed. They are available in over 50 languages. Seven of her novels were also made into television movies or mini-series. Her husband often worked as the executive producer for these adaptations.

Later Life and Family

Judith Krantz was part of the Advisory Board for Compassion & Choices. This group helps people make choices about end-of-life care. In 2006, she joined the board of the Los Angeles Music Center.

Her husband, Steve Krantz, passed away in 2007. They had two sons, Tony Krantz and Nicholas Krantz. Both of their sons live in the Los Angeles area. Judith Krantz's sister-in-law was the children's entertainer Shari Lewis. Shari Lewis was married to Judith's brother, Jeremy P. Tarcher, who published non-fiction books. Judith's niece is the entertainer Mallory Lewis.

Judith Krantz died at her home in Los Angeles on June 22, 2019.

Novels

• Scruples (1978) (made into a 1980 TV miniseries)
• Princess Daisy (1980) (made into a 1983 TV miniseries)
• Mistral's Daughter (1982) (made into a 1984 TV miniseries)
• I'll Take Manhattan (1986) (made into a 1987 TV miniseries)
• Till We Meet Again (1988) (made into a 1989 TV miniseries)
• Dazzle (1990) (made into a 1995 miniseries)
• Scruples Two (1992)
• Lovers (1994)
• Spring Collection (1996)
• The Jewels of Tessa Kent (1998)

See also

In Spanish: Judith Krantz para niños