Stephen Leacock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Leacock
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| Born | 30 December 1869 Swanmore, Hampshire, England |
| Died | 28 March 1944 (aged 74) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Language | English |
| Education | Upper Canada College |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto University of Chicago |
| Genre | Humour |
| Subject | Sciences |
| Notable works | Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, Arcadian Adventures With the Idle Rich, My financial career |
| Notable awards | Lorne Pierce Medal, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada |
Stephen P. H. Butler Leacock (born December 30, 1869 – died March 28, 1944) was a Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humorist. For a time, he was known as the most famous English-speaking humorist in the world. He was loved for his funny and lighthearted writing, which often gently poked fun at people's silly habits.
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Stephen Leacock's Early Life
Stephen Leacock was born in England in 1869. He was one of eleven children. When he was six years old, his family moved to Canada. They settled on a farm near Sutton, Ontario, close to Lake Simcoe. The farm was not very successful. Money from Stephen's grandfather helped the family. In 1878, his father left the family and did not return.
Stephen was very smart. His grandfather sent him to Upper Canada College, a special private school in Toronto. Stephen was a top student there and became the head boy. After graduating in 1887, he started studying at the University of Toronto. He had to leave university for a while because of money problems. He became a teacher, a job he didn't really like. He taught in places like Strathroy, Ontario and Uxbridge, Ontario. He also taught at Upper Canada College, his old school. While teaching, he continued his studies part-time at the University of Toronto and earned his degree in 1891. His first writings were published in The Varsity, a university newspaper.
A Teacher and Scholar
Stephen Leacock didn't enjoy teaching high school. In 1899, he went to the University of Chicago to study more. He earned a special degree called a doctorate in political science and political economy. These subjects are about how governments work and how money is managed in a country.
After his studies, he moved to Montreal, Quebec. He became a professor at McGill University. He was the head of the Economics and Political Science Department for many years. He was forced to retire from McGill in 1936.
Leacock had strong opinions. He was a social conservative, meaning he liked traditional ways. He also supported the British Empire. However, he also believed in helping people through social welfare programs and sharing wealth more fairly.
Even though he was a professor, his serious writings on economics and politics are mostly forgotten today. He is remembered for his humor.
Becoming a Famous Writer
Early in his career, Leacock started writing funny stories and articles. He did this to earn more money, and soon his writing became more popular than his teaching. His stories were published in magazines in Canada and the United States. They became very popular all over the world. Some people even said that in 1911, more people knew about Stephen Leacock than about Canada! Between 1915 and 1925, he was the most famous humorist in the English-speaking world.
Leacock admired other humorists, like Robert Benchley. He encouraged Benchley to publish his work in a book. Famous comedian Jack Benny also said that Stephen Leacock was one of his favorite funny writers.
Leacock's humorous stories often mixed sharp jokes with silly ideas. He also wrote many serious articles and books about his studies in political science and economics. But in his funny works, he used his cleverness to talk about everyday life.
During the summer, Leacock lived at his home called Old Brewery Bay in Orillia, Ontario. This home is now a museum and a National Historic Site of Canada. The stories and gossip he heard from people in Orillia helped him write his famous book, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town (1912). This book describes a fictional town called Mariposa, which was based on Orillia.
In 1937, he received the Lorne Pierce Medal for his academic work.
His Humorous Style
Leacock's humor was like that of famous writers such as Mark Twain and Charles Dickens. His books like Literary Lapses (1910) and Nonsense Novels (1911) are full of funny sketches. Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town (1912) is a more heartwarming favorite.
He also wrote books that made fun of city life, like Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich (1914). He published collections of funny stories almost every year. His humor included silly ideas, parodies (making fun of something by copying it), and satire (using humor to criticize something). His humor was never mean-spirited.
His Legacy and Awards
Stephen Leacock died in Toronto in 1944 from throat cancer. He was buried in Sutton, Ontario.
After he passed away, his summer home, Old Brewery Bay, became a museum. It is now called the Stephen Leacock Museum National Historic Site.
In 1947, the Stephen Leacock Award was created. This award is given every year to the best Canadian humor writer. It is a very important honor that encourages funny writing in Canada. The award ceremony happens in June in Orillia, Ontario.
In 1969, to celebrate 100 years since his birth, Canada Post put his picture on a six-cent stamp. A mountain in the Yukon was also named after him. Many buildings in Canada are named after Leacock, including a building at McGill University and schools in Ottawa and Toronto.
Stephen Leacock's Works on Screen
Some of Leacock's short stories have been made into animated films by the National Film Board of Canada. These include My Financial Career and The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones.
His book Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town has been adapted for television several times. A TV series based on it aired in 1952–1953. In 2012, a new TV movie version of Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town was shown on CBC Television. This celebrated 75 years of the CBC and 100 years of Leacock's book. In 2018, a musical play based on Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town was performed.
Canadian actor John Stark was famous for his one-man show called An Evening with Stephen Leacock. He even made an album of his show, which was nominated for an award.
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See also
In Spanish: Stephen Leacock para niños
