Relationship : First Sex 1941 (Lost virginity at 15)
Social : Joined group 1942 (Joined Marines WW II)
Family : Change residence 1948 (Moved to Paris as a reporter)
Relationship : Marriage 1952 (Ann McGarry)
Mental Health : Psychotic episode 1963 (Month in hospital rehab)
Mental Health : Psychotic episode 1987 (Month in hospital rehab)
Crime : Law suit 8 January 1990 (Won suit against Paramount) chart Placidus Equal_H.
Financial : Gain significant money 8 January 1990 (Awarded $5 million on law suit) chart Placidus Equal_H.
Relationship : End significant relationship 1992 (Wife of 40 years)
Health : Medical diagnosis 16 June 2000 at 12:00 noon in Washington, DC (Serious stroke, intensive care) chart Placidus Equal_H.
Death:Death by Disease 17 January 2007 (Of kidney failure, age 81, in Washington, DC) chart Placidus Equal_H.
American Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist, columnist, raconteur and bon vivant. Looking like a genial bulldog dressed in a brightly-colored sports jacket and slacks and puffing a cigar, he begins an anecdote. His eyes light up, his face crinkles and he transforms into an impish boy hoping the world will like him. He survived a painful childhood, as his mom went into a mental institution when he was three months old. Raised in the Hebrew Orphanage in New York, he saw his dad once a week, and he was shifted into six successive foster homes. One of the dysfunctional families he spent time with told such horrid stories of demons that he had nightmares for years afterwards. He told of losing his virginity at 15 to a hotel chambermaid. When he ran away to join the military in 1942 to see action in the South Pacific, he thought that the Marines were the best foster family hed ever had. After university, he moved to Paris in 1948 where he joined the Herald Tribune for which he wrote a regular column, "Paris After Dark." Subject to bouts of deep depression, he periodically plunged into suicidal darkness. He spent a month in a hospital in 1963 and again in 1987, during which time he continued writing. His book, "Leaving Home," was a best-selling memoir of his traumatic childhood, identifying the depths of his crippling depression. Going public about his illness in 1994, he offered hope to the some 17.5 million adult Americans who suffer from the agony of clinical depression. Buchwald turned his pain into humor with the creation of political word cartoons and syndicated humor columns that were printed in 510 newspapers. Humor was his salvation, the antidote to the misery of his youth. By 1981 he had written 24 books, including three memoirs. The first, "Leaving Home," speaks of his childhood, his three-year hitch as a WW II Marine in the Pacific and three years at USC. "Ill Always Have Paris" covers the European years, a hilarious recounting of his adventures that took him from the grungy Polish hotel in Montparnasse to the yachts of the "Onassi," from picking up girls in the Louvre to squiring Gina Lollobrigida to a gala in Monaco, from his peasant palate to gourmet dining, from counting pennies to bar-hopping at the St. Moritz. He also writes of the courtship of his beloved wife Ann McGarrey, whom he married in 1952 and the adoption of their three kids in Ireland, Spain and France. His books include, "I Am Not a Crook" in 1974 and "Down the Seine and Up the Potomac" in 1977. The Pulitzer Prize for Outstanding Commentary was awarded to him in 1982. Four years later, in 1986, he was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. On January 8, 1990, Buchwald won a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures that awarded him over $5 million. The money was his share of the profits on one of his script treatments that was later used for a hit movie starring Eddie Murphy. He and his wife were separated in 1992, and Ann died in 1994. Buchwald lived quietly in a Washington, D.C. apartment, keeping in touch with family, friends and his three grandsons, all the while writing. He alternated living in Martha’s Vineyard where he often held court with other famous visitors and neighbors. On June 16, 2000 he suffered a stroke that left him in intensive care, serious but stable condition. His health continued to fail. In early February 2006 he checked into a Washington, DC nursing home as part of a hospice program and began to pRead less
Art Buchwald, born October 20, 1925, in Mount Vernon, New York, was a renowned American humorist and satirist best known for his widely syndicated column that offered a witty and often pointed commentary on political and social issues. His career spanned over five decades, during which he garnered a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1982 and earned a place as one of the most influential voices in American satire.
Unfortunately, due to the passage of time since his passing in 2007, readily available social media presence for Art Buchwald is nonexistent. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram were either not yet established or not as widely used during his most active years. Any previous personal accounts would likely be inactive or memorialized.
Information regarding Buchwald's specific projects towards the end of his life is somewhat limited in easily accessible online sources. However, it's known that he continued to write and publish even while battling kidney failure and other health challenges. He wrote about his experiences with illness, including his decision to enter hospice care, with characteristic humor and candor. His final book, Too Soon to Say Goodbye, detailed his time in hospice and reflections on life and death. He also continued contributing to his column, demonstrating his commitment to his craft until the very end.
Beyond his column, Buchwald authored numerous books, including collections of his columns and original works. Some of his notable books include Leaving Home, I Never Danced at the White House, and Whose Rose Garden Is It Anyway? His writing often poked fun at the political elite, skewering the absurdities of Washington D.C. and offering a humorous take on current events. He interviewed prominent figures, including presidents and celebrities, but always maintained a critical and satirical perspective. His influence on American political satire remains significant, and his work continues to be appreciated for its wit and insightful commentary.
For a more in-depth look at his life and work, you can explore resources like: