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Reminiscences of Phyllis Cerf Wagner, 1978.

Creator: Fraser, Phyllis, 1911-2006
Project: Individual interviews oral history collection.
(see all project interviews)
Phys. Desc. :Transcript 546 pages Sound recording 5 reels Sound recording 8 audiocassettes
Location: Columbia Center for Oral History
Full CLIO record >>

Biographical Note

Journalist; interviewee married (1) Bennett Cerf; (2) Robert F. Wagner.

Scope and Contents

Childhood, Missouri and Oklahoma; Hollywood, 1930s; writing for movie magazines; move to New York, N.Y., 1939; advertising and daytime serial writing for radio; marriage to Bennett Cerf, 1940; columnist for NEWSDAY, 1947-58; support for Hollywood Ten; development of Beginner Books; Aesthetics Committee, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 1978: program for improving subway stations, funding, other agencies involved, problems of graffitti and vandalism, concessionaires; sale of Random House; Christopher and Jonathan Cerf; illness and death of Bennett Cerf, 1971; meeting, courtship and marriage to Robert Wagner. Impressions of Truman Capote, John O'Hara, Alicia Patterson, Ayn Rand, Ginger and Lela Rogers, Harry Scherman, Frank Sinatra

Subjects

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