Dorothy Parker in Hollywood

by Gail Crowther

An expansive and illuminating study of legendary writer Dorothy Parker’s life and legacy in Hollywood from the author of the “fascinating” (Town & Country) Three Martini Afternoons at the Ritz. The glamorous extravagances and devasting lows of her time in Hollywood are revealed as never before in this fresh new biography of Dorothy Parker—from leaving New York City to work on numerous classic screenplays such as the 1937 A Star Is Born to the devastation of alcoholism, a miscarriage, and her husband’s suicide. Parker’s involvement with anti-fascist and anti-racist groups, which led to her ultimate blacklisting, and her early work in the civil rights movement that inspired her to leave her entire estate to the NAACP are also explored as never before. Just as she did with her “deliriously fast-paced and erudite” (Library Journal) dual biography of Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath, Gail Crowther brings Parker back to life on the page in all her wit, grit, and brilliance.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Film, Biography Memoir, Audiobook, Media Tie In

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2024

About the author

Dr Gail Crowther is co-author of Sylvia Plath in Devon: A Year's Turning (2015) written with Elizabeth Sigmund. She is also author of The Haunted Reader and Sylvia Plath (2016). She has also written numerous papers and book chapters about Plath and sociological hauntings. She has lectured in Sociology, and Religion, Culture and Society and her current research interests include archival studies and feminist life writing.

Reviews

[Michael -- Justice for Renee & Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intrigued by Dorothy

I was only vaguely familiar with Dorothy Parker as a personality from the past. Quotes of hers would regularly pop up in my Facebook feed– witticisms that always seemed to hit home with a sarcasm that sparkled. Along came the new biography, "Dorothy Parker in Hollywood,” and I grabbed the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity.

What a fascinating woman. She was an award-winning writer of short stories, poetry, plays, and screenplays… including the original “A Star is Born” script. She was socially very active to the point of being trailed by the FBI and blacklisted by the studios. This was an era where she was a trailblazer for women writers. Counted among her social circle were Scott Fitzgerald, Lillian Hellman, Dashiell Hammet, Orson Welles, Fredric March, and Ernest Hemingway. At her death she left her estate to Martin Luther King and, later, the NAACP.

On the flip side, many aspects of her life were a trainwreck. She was a chronic alcoholic. A reputation flourished as someone who would often cruelly backstab people the moment they left the room. She claimed to hate Hollywood, drawn only by the financial benefits it offered. Suicide was attempted a number of times, whether or not these were considered serious by her friends.

There are self-admitted holes in this profile. The author frequently points out huge blank spots in time, where nothing is known and where there is no documentation. There are no journals or revelatory correspondences unearthed to illuminate an insight into the woman behind the public persona. 1951 through 1961 is a black hole, a substantial gap for a biography of a woman on a downward spiral.

I appreciate the intriguing Dorothy Parker presented here. There just seems to be more.

She:
“If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me.”
“If you want to know what God thinks about money, just look at the people He gives it to.”
“Honesty means nothing until you are tested under circumstances where you are sure you could get away with dishonesty.”
“If all the young ladies who attended the Yale promenade dance were laid end to end, no one would be the least surprised.”

In conclusion, maybe I should read more Dorothy Parker and less about her.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tracey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigh. I love Dorothy Parker. I quote her short story, The Waltz, far too often (“I’d love to be in a midnight fire at sea” being my favorite line). But I’ve never knowingly seen any of the movies she wrote. Gail Crowther’s wonderful book not only outlines the highs and lows of Parker’s Hollywood years, but also paints a picture of what was undoubtedly a very difficult and traumatic life.

One of the things I took away from this book was how Parker put her beliefs and ideals before her career. Like many other creatives in the era of McCarthyism, Parker was blacklisted for her suspected (and unfounded) communism. She visited Spain during the Spanish civil war, and made two films raising awareness of the conflict. And even after her death, the funds from her estate go towards fighting social injustice.

And all this, while fighting to be recognized for her talent in a cruel and sexist system. While she found some companionship in her husband and writing partner Alan Campbell, that relationship wasn’t without its struggles, with Parker uncharacteristically making jibes about Alan being homosexual. All while fighting a severe issue with alcohol addition.

For anyone, reading this book of Parker’s journey is harrowing. But as a fan, I find it maddening to read about another immensely talented woman who was diminished by a patriarchal system. However, Crowther’s book is required reading for anyone interested in the struggles of female creatives. A well-written book on a difficult subject, but handled beautifully and sensitively by Crowther.

[Sketchbook · Rating 3 out of 5]

White privilege ?
In this distressing saga, the author suggests that Dorothy Parker's life (1893-1967) was twisted out of shape by her comfortable middle-class background. And the author uses the phrase "white privilege" several times. The short story, verse writer and critic is best remembered for her acid wit and mocking tone. Filled with self-hate and insecurity, she made pots of money in Hollywood where she was one of the highest paid writers, but this couldnt quiet her personal furies.

Here we get "Mrs Parker" -- warts & all -- nakedly revealed as a drunk who had blackouts, abortions and two husbands who committed suicide. Let's not gloss her mental disturbances by pouncing on some a la mode term. She was a mess. The author, alas, doesnt try to figure out or "understand" Dorothy Parker. Her book should be read by shrinks. I'd like to hear their professional opinions.

Her memorable literary work, completed in the 20s-30s, is defined by needinessy and whiney women. But she's famous for her one-liners, wisecracks, verbal put-downs. This was her talent. (At parties, guests were afraid to leave the room, knowing she'd offer a nasty critique of them as soon as the door closed. Example: after a departing guest, "That woman speaks four languages and can't say 'no' in any of them").

In the 20s, she had an affair w Charles MacArthur, who later married Helen Hayes. Both he and she had spouses at the time. He was indifferent, but Dorothy was a masochist, as she always was in any romantic situ. She became pregnant and had an abortion. "One feature of this trauma was to repeatedly tell her story and talk about what had happened until her friends grew tired and suggested she stop," the author says. So, she slashed her wrists. Many Round Table pals decided it was an attention-seeking act. Thus began an increasing dependency on alcohol.

By 1928, she had published 2 books of verse to critical and commercial success. She was drinking heavily, would often look bloated, and slept around. This behavior was followed by blackouts, alcoholic arguments and fights. A concerned chum, Robert Benchley, urged her to see a therapist. Of course, she didnt. She couldnt handle money either, was always in debt. In 1929-30, with the arrival of sound movies, she and Benchley went to Hollywood.

Restless, rootless, she changed hotels, apartments and lavish houses in Hollywood constantly. This pattern continued, in and out of southern California, until the 60s. (For a while she even had a farm in Bucks County, Pa). In California, with little to do outside of scripting, she involved herself in radical political causes, some that the FBI deemed pro-communist. She was blacklisted.

She was one of three writers credited w the original "A Star is Born" (1937). Other credits include: "The Little Foxes" (1941), "Saboteur" (1942) and "Smash-Up" (1947). There were no happy endings for Dorothy Parker. Ben Hecht, in a memoir, recalls a Halloween party where she was invited to join a group of merrymakers "ducking for apples." She replied: "Change one letter in that phrase and you have my life story."

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A biography with a definite agenda on the famous writer and wit.

Pessimistic throughout, but that shouldn't be a surprise considering the subject.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dorothy Parker’s life sounds grim! It’s too bad she didn’t leave behind more firsthand material. She did work on some good movies, though, even if she did hate Hollywood.

[Patricia Wright · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book but didn’t. The woman was a wreck. She was never happy and blamed everyone but herself. She was not kind and moved around a lot because she could. She wasted her money .

[Alex Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first learned about Dorothy Parker from Margaret Meade’s excellent biography, which came out when I was in my 20s. Now I’m in my mid 50s and it’s both nostalgic and relatable since this book focuses on Parker dealing with aging (spoiler alert: she was not a fan).
Parker seems to belong to that elite class of people known as charismatic assholes who would be a nightmare to know personally but are delightful and amusing about from a distance.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific book that comes as close as any written to uncovering the enigma that was Dorothy Parker. She was an immensely talented writer and a passionate and courageous believer in human rights and justice (often to her own detriment), yet she always - always - denigrated her own talent and accomplishments, and had a tragic and maddening self-destructive streak that (probably) shortened her life and unquestionably made huge chunks of her life absolutely miserable.
To her immense credit Dr. Crowther doesn't simply take all of the events of Parker's life at face value; rather, she makes a serious attempt to understand WHY she looked at life, love, writing, friendships the way she did. Crowther doesn't pretend to hold "the key" to unlocking the mystery of Parker's personality; instead, by digging deep with the help of professionals in the fields of psychology and addiction, she suggests possible and (in my view likely) reasons for why Parker did what she did and looked at life the way she did. As Crowther admits, there are certainly aspects of Parker's life we'll just never know about (she made a point it seems of destroying "documentation") and years that are largely lost to time.
One can't help but wonder what might have become of Dorothy Parker had today's understanding and treatment of addiction and mental illness (particularly major clinical depression) been available to her at crucial points in her life (that is, of course, presuming that she would have availed herself of such help). It's really a tragedy.
The reader can also admire Crowther's writing style, which at times is utterly sublime. I was haunted in particular by the final paragraph of this book, which I will reproduce here in full:
"And I imagine this legacy as the ending of a spectacular Hollywood film. A petite figure with dark hair and messy bangs, outlined in silhouette, is forever walking toward those blazing California forest fires that frightened her so much. Smoke billows. The magnificent flames crackle and fill the horizon. Everything is reaching toward the sky, and her brave, unflinching gaze takes it all in."
Thank you, Dr. Gail Crowther.

[Stuart Shiffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What strikes me about this book is overall it is very depressing. What a sad life for such a brilliant artist. Still, this is an enlightening and enjoyable book that I highly recommend to anyone interested in the era when Hollywood began dominating the entertainment industry. Parker’s work was important and Crowther writes well. It’s only February but this is a top bill of the year.

[Debbe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read about 1/2 of this book. Not sure what bored me the most Dorothy Parker or Hollywood. I think it was Hollywood because Parker has never bored me before.

[Al · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wyatt Cooper, the father of Anderson Cooper, wrote about his friendship with Dorothy Parker and her husband Alan Campbell in a 1968 Esquire article “Whatever You Think Dorothy Parker Was Like, She Wasn’t.” That may have been a better title for Gail Crowther’s new biography “Dorothy Parker in Hollywood,” but it was already used. Though known for her earlier days at the Algonquin Round Table, Dorothy Parker, like many of the New York literati, fled to Hollywood in the thirties and forties in search of well-paying screenwriting jobs. Almost in unison they found working at the studios a miserable experience creatively, but tough to leave due to the great pay, and Dorothy Parker was no exception. She wound up spending over thirty years in the L.A. area, even after screenwriting offers disappeared due to the Blacklist. Gail Crowther, perhaps sensing an unearthed treasure trove of material, tackles those thirty years in “Dorothy Parker in Hollywood,” but largely comes up empty-handed. Parker (and possibly her executor Lillian Hellman) left no letters and manuscripts for biographers to sift through. Crowther pieces together impressions and facts from scattered archives of others who knew and worked with Parker, so it’s not a loss, just a disappointment. Parker’s individual contributions to films are a challenge to pinpoint, because films went through multiple contributors and multiple drafts. Crowther is left with guessing which clever bits of dialog Parker likely added on the films where she is credited. And her work was acknowledged by her peers with two Academy Award nominations—for the first “A Star Is Born” and “Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman.” But Parker found a more important reason to stay in Hollywood: like-minded writers and actors who started the Screen Writers Guild and the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, a period well covered by Crowther. At the end of her career there’s a sense of frustration and self-loathing with Parker that she was underserving of praise, but she was anchored by her alcoholism. Readers who have a spouse or family member who is an alcoholic will recognize the all too familiar cruelty of the disease with Parker as she deteriorates in Hollywood and then in her final years as a “lady of the corridor” in a hotel in New York. “Dorothy Parker in Hollywood” is valuable to readers curious about the love-hate relationship of literary writers and Hollywood in the thirties and forties and to those seeking further insight into the Blacklist years.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I have spent a great deal of my life discovering that my ambitions and fantasies—which I once thought of as totally unique—turn out to be clichés,” once wrote a 32-year-old Nora Ephron. the dream in question? to become Dorothy Parker. Ephron, like so many other witty women of her generation, longed to be Dorothy Parker, the wise-cracking, witticism-doling humorist who eventually took her talents to Hollywood (and hated it so much that she headed straight back to the east coast. a relatable queen). it's no surprise that any woman with ambitions of writing comedy admired Parker—part of the original editorial board of the New Yorker, the writer of David O. Selznick's original 1937 A STAR IS BORN, and coiner of famous aphorisms ("what fresh hell is this?"), she is something of a godmother of the tradition.

but as Ephron would discover—and ultimately encounter herself, as part of the same sort of canon—Parker always ran the risk of being reduced from a person to an idol. Crowther's biography seeks, in part, to demystify the idolatry and remind us that Parker was not just a witticism factory but a real person. she suffered from alcoholism and mental illness, for one. she had radically left-leaning politics in an era that threatened the careers of writers who dared to express views that might affiliate them with the red scare. she had a complicated marriage to another writer whose life ended in suicide. and she was not without her own mistakes, including impulsively doling out a racist epithet in one incident Crowther recalls. Crowther does a handy job of convincing us that Parker lived, to the greatest of her abilities, on her own terms, no matter how insistently the public wanted to limit the extent of her political organizing or put her in one tidy box or another (even her reputation as the wise-cracking humorist was one she chafed against!). perhaps we'd do well to follow her example. even if her career on paper is as badass as it seems.

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars)

I’m fascinated by Dorothy Parker, a woman far ahead of her time, which was 1920s through mid 1960s New York City and Hollywood. This book is ostensibly about her career as a scriptwriter in Hollywood from the 1930s through the 1950s, but it’s also about her increasing liberal activisim (when she died she left all her ongoing royalties to Martin Luther King Jr or the NAACP in case of King’s passing, which happened a year or so after Dorothy herself died; the organization still receives funds from that bequest). Sadly there isn’t a lot of Hollywood meat on the bones here, since no one really knows what Dorothy contributed to the movies she worked on; many of them she—and her on-again, off-again husband Alan Campbell—don’t even bear her name in the credits. One for sure is the original A Star is Born (1937), starring Frederic March and Janet Gaynor, a movie that has such great bones that it’s been remade three times, with various musical stars of its respective eras (Judy Garland in the 1950s, Barbra Streisand in the 1970s, and Lady Gaga a few years ago). Sadly, I found the most fascinating era in this book to be Parker’s final years, which are pretty tragic. Author Crowther keeps referencing Marion Meade’s biography, Dorothy Parker: What Fresh Hell Is This?, so maybe that’s the one we should really be reading.

[Linda Hartlaub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

After Having read Three Martini Afternoons at the Ritz, I knew when I picked up this book that it would be well-researched and a thorough representation of Dorothy Parker’s life. Usually the author concentrates on Sylvia Plath, with a number of books to her credit on the writer. This is a slight departure for her, following the life and career of the acid-tongued writer, Dorothy Parker.

Ms. Crowther follows Dorothy Parker’s life from childhood, but concentrates on her time in Hollywood working for studios as a screenwriter. Not one to suffer fools, it is not surprising that she ran into problems with the heads of the various studios. For those days and for the sexist society that she lived in, her salary was astronomical allowing her to live in hotels for a time, and to buy a number of homes, seemingly when she was bored with one house, she looked for another. Her wit created memorable dialogue (including the first iteration of A Star Is Born), leading to at least one Oscar nomination. Unfortunately, her salary also allowed her to fuel her addiction to alcoholism.

The author treats Ms. Parker with respect and compassion, even when it seems that she is on a path of self-destruction. A well-rounded book that was also an enjoyable read.

[shean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and, for those that know and love Dorthy Parker already, there is a lot to love in simply getting to spend time with her in these pages that chronicle her life. But at the same time, it's a truly sad, and difficult story. Gail Crowther's history is elegant and full of insights drawn from thoughtful research but the picture she paints is relentlessly unhappy. Dorthy Parker was unarguably a lightning bolt; a well of talent, an unrivaled wit, and a fierce advocate and champion of civil and human rights who did, in her life, move the needle. She was also flawed, and struggled with the work of living. I wrestled with some of the conclusions presented in this book, with whether I believed that Dorthy Parker was hopelessly unhappy and that the story of her flaws outweighed the stories of the light she shown. But I think that wrestling is important, and intentional in Gail Crowther's retelling. So many of the people around her fell victim to Dorthy Parker's glamor, charmed by her talent and her presence, unwilling or unable to acknowledge the pain of someone suffering. What can't be denied however, is the conclusion drawn in the epilog, that Dorthy Parker deserves remembering, and her work celebrated.

(Thanks NetGalley for an ARC of this book)

[David Sheward · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Bought at the Strand for $10): Gail Crowther's account of the sharp-tongued but ultimately tragic writer Dorothy Parker's sojourn in La La Land is entertaining but doesn't tell us much more than the many other Parker bios. Parker's devastating wit is not on display as much as her messy personal life. She was an alcoholic and couldn't manage her money even though she was one of the highest paid screenwriters in the studio system. Both she and her husband and writing partner Alan Campbell were equally clumsy at living as adults, both chronic alcoholics. She lacked self-confidence despite her sparkling intelligence and way with words. Crowther does capture her struggle to overcome sexism in a male dominated industry and offers some new insights into the chaotic, confusing manner scripts were fashioned in the Dream Factory.

[Tim Pinckney · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's silly to say "I"m a Dorothy Parker fan" as I don't know anyone who isn't. But I found this book disappointing. It may be the subject matter. As amusing as she was, her life was not a happy one. And those she is credited with writing a few good movies (Oscar nominated for the original 1937 A Star is Born, also contributed to The Little Foxes and Saboteur), you don't get a real sense of her all her contributions to film. I was hoping for more of a sense of being a Hollywood writer at that time but because she did a lot of script polishing and doctoring without credit, much of this book is speculation.

This is not the author's fault. She clearly has affection for her subject matter. I was just hoping for a different experience. But I am glad I read it.

[Daniel Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been intrigued by the members of the Algonquin Round Table. I had known about Dorothy Parker’s early life. It was filled with acerbic wit and brilliant writing. One story told in the 100 year anniversary edition of the New Yorker is that Harold Ross wondered why she had not contributed to the early editions of the then failing magazine. She said she had gone to the office but someone was using the pencil.This book spans her years in Hollywood. It is a fascinating read. Gail Crowther provides us with the opportunity to travel with Dorothy Parker during those turbulent years. Dorothy is a complicated figure who suffered, self medicated, celebrated and made us laugh. The journey is torturous but she left the proceeds of her estate to the NAACP. May she rest in peace.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parker is the poet of the immortal verses: Men seldom make passes/at girls who wear glasses. She was a literary figure who become know for her wit and sharp tongue, if these are different things. And for hard drinking. But also for staunch campaigning for Republican Spain (where republican meant something entirely different), no matter the consequences. She went to civil war-torn Spain and in the fifties faced prosecution from the HUAC. After a literary career in New York, she moved to Hollywood, still in the silent movie era, where writing provided little status - script writers were n't credited in their movies - but lots of money. She hated it, but also started to love the social life. She was often succesfull, especially for her dialogue, a little less for her story crafting, but also often broke, especially later on in life, when she got (more or less) blacklisted and become even more of an alcoholic. After her husband of 30 years died, she was rathered lost, returned to NYC and kind of faded away. So quite an interesting personality and a well written biography.

[Amy Moritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read about this in the NYT and was intrigued. Picked this up at my local independent book store and loved it. I founds this work entirely accessible, which isn't always the case with well-researched biographies. Sometimes they are too dense. Sometimes they are too surface-level. This one hit that sweet spot. I learned a lot about Dorothy Parker and more -- how the Hollywood writing process worked in old Hollywood, how women were treated, how alcoholism was viewed. It is interesting to see how we view her now versus how she was viewed in her time. Also how she viewed herself. She was incredibly hard on herself and her writing, something I certainly understand.

[Lady Megan Fischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars. It’s well written and enjoyable enough. Not enough meat on the bones, really. In spite of its title, there’s precious little Hollywood here — even films that we know she worked on, like It’s a Wonderful Life, go completely unmentioned. And even when movies are discussed, there’s little actually said about them or her process with them. I understand details are scarce, but why write the book if there’s nothing to tell?

The Marion Meade biography remains the gold standard here.

[Sharon Moores · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know how many comedians are depressed? It feels like many of the great writers are, too. It's not unwarranted in many cases, especially in a situation like Parker where therapy wasn't much of an option yet. But it does make for bogged down, awful reading. Top that off with massive gaps in information about Parker's life, and you're left with a book that you have to be in the mood for. Crowther is a good, engaging writer; it's not on her. Just read this when you can handle a life that veers wildly between advocate and wasted, with some limited genius mixed in.

[Michael McEwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating to learn that there was so much more to Dorothy Parker than her proto-Mean Girl persona. She was a progressive dedicated to equality and put her money and talents where her mouth was. She also made a big impact on Hollywood. Indeed she spent the rest of her life trying to shake the Algonquin Roundtable.

Given the paucity of letters or other memoirs it is understandable that there are large gaps where Parker can only be understood by observation of what was happening around her.

Now, time to go read some Dorothy Parker shorts.

[Alvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorothy Parker was the very definition of a fabulous disaster, a true hot mess avant la lettre. She didn't so much battle her demons as invite them over for cocktails. As a result her incomparable wit emerged from a chaos that must've been hell to witness, let alone live through. I am heartily glad she was not my neighbor! On the other hand, if I got to invite anyone I liked to a dinner party in heaven I'd seat her right between Oscar Wilde and Tallulah Bankhead.

[Joel Kline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am amused that many of the less-complimentary reviews of this book focus on "Dorothy Parker was a terrible person." Maybe so, probably not; she was complicated, undeniably mean at times, socially and racially conscious, striking her way as a woman in what was overwhelmingly a misogynistic man's world, multiply traumatized ... I hadn't read much about her before and found this to be an interesting, if not for-the-ages, introduction to her life.

[Jean Mehochko · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's evidently not a lot of information out there on Dorothy Parker, so the author did the best she could I suppose. My biggest complaint about the book is the authors insertion of what I would call contemporary rhetoric concerning racism, the oppression of women, and white privilege. It got a little tiresome and didn't seem appropriate to me.

[Sara Buechner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great to the point with lots of antidotes from the others life. It makes me want to read more of her articles from the day along with reading her stories again. I want to grow old and be her

[Maggie Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, but not especially life changing. Her life was extremely interesting though, I’m kind of shocked I didn’t know much about her.

Incredibly grateful she wrote the original star is born, genuinely don’t know where I’d be without her!!

[Joni Greenwell Bycroft · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dorothy Parker - smart mouthed, filthy mouthed, caustic witted Hollywood screenwriter. Born 1896, died 1967. She was my Great Grandma's ages. But certainly not the lady they were. I don't believe I like her.

[Reggie Snead · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is well-written and well-researched. I do wish that it were also -funny-, if only because it feels odd to write about Parker without much irony or wit. Marion Meade managed it in What Fresh Hell Is This?, which I highly recommend.