Elaine Dundy
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Elaine Rita Dundy (née Brimberg; August 1, 1921 – May 1, 2008) was an American novelist, biographer, journalist, actress and playwright.


Early life

She was born Elaine Rita Brimberg in New York City. Her Polish Jewish immigrant father, Samuel Brimberg, was an office furniture manufacturer and a violent bully. Her mother was of Latvian Jewish descent; she was the daughter of a multimillionaire manufacturer and inventor. Dundy was one of three sisters; a sibling was
Shirley Clarke Shirley Clarke (née Brimberg; October 2, 1919 – September 23, 1997) was an American filmmaker. Life Born Shirley Brimberg in New York City, she was the daughter of a Polish-immigrant father who made his fortune in manufacturing. Her mother w ...
, the independent filmmaker. Dundy grew up in a
Park Avenue Park Avenue is a wide New York City boulevard which carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenu ...
home where she was educated by a governess, though she eventually attended high school, where her boyfriend Terry was the son of playwright
Maxwell Anderson James Maxwell Anderson (December 15, 1888 – February 28, 1959) was an American playwright, author, poet, journalist, and lyricist. Background Anderson was born on December 15, 1888, in Atlantic, Pennsylvania, the second of eight children to ...
. Later, they met again and almost married. A habituée of New York nightclubs from the age of 15, she met the exiled Dutch painter
Piet Mondrian Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan (), after 1906 known as Piet Mondrian (, also , ; 7 March 1872 – 1 February 1944), was a Dutch painter and art theoretician who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He is known for being ...
, who wished to be taught how to
jitterbug Jitterbug is a generalized term used to describe swing dancing. It is often synonymous with the lindy hop dance but might include elements of the jive, east coast swing, collegiate shag, charleston, balboa and other swing dances. Swing dan ...
. An honors graduate from Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Virginia, she studied acting at the Jarvis Theatre School in Washington with future star actors
Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger (; April 14, 1925July 9, 2002, aged 77) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Cited as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars," he is closely assoc ...
,
Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor whose career spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s (Kansas Raiders, 1950) and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 f ...
and others, and in the
Dramatic Workshop Dramatic Workshop was the name of a drama and acting school associated with the New School for Social Research in New York City. It was launched in 1940 by German expatriate stage director Erwin Piscator. Among the faculty were Lee Strasberg and Ste ...
was taught by
Erwin Piscator Erwin Friedrich Maximilian Piscator (17 December 1893 – 30 March 1966) was a German theatre director and producer. Along with Bertolt Brecht, he was the foremost exponent of epic theatre, a form that emphasizes the socio-political content of ...
. Dundy's controlling father insisted she live at home while in New York, but she calculated that her monthly allowance would allow her to live in Paris for a short time. At the end of World War II, she traveled to Europe, first to live in Paris, France, dubbing French films, then settled in London, where she performed in a BBC radio play. In 1950, she met the theater critic
Kenneth Tynan Kenneth Peacock Tynan (2 April 1927 – 26 July 1980) was an English theatre critic and writer. Making his initial impact as a critic at ''The Observer'', he praised Osborne's ''Look Back in Anger'' (1956), and encouraged the emerging wave of ...
, and two weeks later, they began living together. They married on January 25, 1951, had a daughter Tracy (born May 12, 1952, London), and became part of the theatrical and film elite of London and Hollywood.


Radio and television

Among her roles as an actress, she appeared in "The Scream," a 1953 episode of the TV series ''Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Presents'', and a BBC-TV production of '' Dinner at Eight'' as a maid: "One of those small parts an actress can do absolutely nothing with except look as pretty as possible, act as naive as possible and stay out of the way of the knives." Dundy was heard in different roles on
Radio Luxembourg Radio Luxembourg was a multilingual commercial broadcaster in Luxembourg. It is known in most non-English languages as RTL (for Radio Television Luxembourg). The English-language service of Radio Luxembourg began in 1933 as one of the earlies ...
's Harry Lime dramas, directed by
Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
. In 1955, Dundy and Tynan appeared together on camera, hosting the "Madrid Bullfight" episode of ''
Around the World With Orson Welles ''Around the World with Orson Welles'' is a series of six short travelogues originally written and directed by Orson Welles for Associated-Rediffusion in 1955, for Britain's then-new ITV channel. Despite its title emphasizing the world, it was en ...
'', the documentary series Welles made for
Associated-Rediffusion Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, ...
, a contractor for Britain's
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
commercial network.


Books

In 1958, Dundy published her first novel ''The Dud Avocado'', loosely based on her experiences in Paris. It reached the top of the bestseller lists. She received a letter from an admirer:
Dear Mrs Tynan, I don't make the habit of writing to married women, especially if the husband is a dramatic critic, but I had to tell someone (and it might as well be you since you're the author) how much I enjoyed ''The Dud Avocado''. It made me laugh, scream and guffaw (which incidentally is a great name for a law firm). If this was actually your life, I don't know how on earth you got through it. Sincerely,
Groucho Marx Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, singer, television star and vaudeville performer. He is generally considered to have been a master of quick wit an ...
.
Tynan disapproved of Dundy's writing vocation despite having forecast success, because it distracted attention from himself; Dundy, however, had seen it as a means to save their marriage. Around this time, Tynan started to insist on flagellating his wife, with the threat of his own suicide if she refused. Drugs, alcohol, and extramarital affairs by both parties resulted in the marriage becoming fraught, and it was dissolved in 1964. In 1962, she was a writer for the BBC's satirical ''
That Was the Week That Was ''That Was the Week That Was'', informally ''TWTWTW'' or ''TW3'', is a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. It was devised, produced, and directed by Ned Sherrin and Jack (aka John) Duncan, and pre ...
''. Dundy attempted to cure herself of addictions from 1968 to 1976, though according to her daughter, she struggled with drugs and alcohol for half a century. Dundy lived mainly in New York after her divorce. In addition to novels and short stories, Dundy wrote for ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. She wrote books on the actor
Peter Finch Frederick George Peter Ingle Finch (28 September 191614 January 1977) was an English-Australian actor of theatre, film and radio. Born in London, he emigrated to Australia as a teenager and was raised in Sydney, where he worked in vaudeville ...
, the city of
Ferriday, Louisiana Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, Concordia Parish, which borders the Mississippi River and is located on the central eastern border of Louisiana, United States. With a population of 3,511 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 ce ...
, and
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
. As part of her research for the Presley book, Dundy moved from her luxurious suites in London and New York to live for five months in Presley's birthplace of
Tupelo, Mississippi Tupelo () is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. With an estimated population of 38,300, Tupelo is the sixth-largest city in Mississippi and is considered a commercial, industrial, and cultural hub of North M ...
. ''
Elvis and Gladys ''Elvis and Gladys'' () is a biography of rock and roll singer Elvis Presley by author and film industry insider, Elaine Dundy. The book recounts Presley's early life, the role his mother Gladys played in his formative years, and his beginnings in ...
'' was first published by Macmillan in 1985 (reissued in 2004 by the University Press of Mississippi). The ''Boston Globe'' hailed it as "nothing less than the best Elvis book yet." ''
Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...
'' described it as "the most fine-grained Elvis bio ever."


Later life

Dundy maintained a home in London until 1986, and then moved to Los Angeles to be near her daughter. By then, Tracy was a costume designer; she is married to film director
Jim McBride Jim or JIM may refer to: * Jim (given name), a given name * Jim, a diminutive form of the given name James * Jim, a short form of the given name Jimmy * OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism * ''Jim'' (comics), a series by Jim Woodring * ''Jim ...
. Dundy's autobiography, ''Life Itself!'', was published in 2001. In the same year, Kenneth Tynan's diaries, written in his last decade, were published. Their daughter had helped to have the book issued. It led to a two year split between the two women, until Dundy re-entered rehabilitation once more. Her 1964 novel,
The Old Man and Me
', was reissued in 2005 by the feminist publishing company Virago Press, and that same year, she wrote the introduction for Virago's reprint of
Daphne du Maurier Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning, (; 13 May 1907 – 19 April 1989) was an English novelist, biographer and playwright. Her parents were actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and his wife, actress Muriel Beaumont. Her grandfather was Geor ...
's 1932 novel ''I'll Never Be Young Again''. Tracy Tynan's memoir ''Wear and Tear'', published in the United States in 2016, deals with Tynan's trying experiences of her parents.


Death

In Dundy's final years, she was losing her eyesight due to
macular degeneration Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD), is a medical condition which may result in blurred or no vision in the center of the visual field. Early on there are often no symptoms. Over time, however, som ...
. She died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California on May 1, 2008, aged 86.''New York Review Books Classics blog'' : A Different Stripe: "Elaine Dundy, 1921-2008"
/ref> She is buried at
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue. The cemetery was ...
.


Bibliography


Novels

*''
The Dud Avocado ''The Dud Avocado'' is the debut novel of writer Elaine Dundy, first published in 1958. The novel was a bestseller upon its release and earned acclaim from Groucho Marx, Gore Vidal and Ernest Hemingway. After falling out of print it was re-issued ...
'' (1958) *''The Old Man and Me'' (1964) *''The Injured Party'' (1974)


Biographies

*''Finch, Bloody Finch: A Biography of Peter Finch'' (1980) *''Elvis and Gladys'' (1985) *''Ferriday, Louisiana'' (1991) *''Life Itself!'' (2001) (autobiography)


Plays

*''My Place'' (1962) *''Death in the Country'' (1976) (in ''Vogue'', 1974.) *''The Drowning'' (1976)


Articles

*Hip, Beat & Square, ''The Observer'', 4 December 1960 *Memory in Spain, ''The Observer'', 25 December 1960 *Stanley Kubrick and Dr. Strangelove, ''Queen'' 13 March 1963 (reprinted in Glamour, April 1964) *Reviewing Reviewing (on the first issue of the New York Review of Books), ''The Spectator'', 7 June 1963 *Formentoracle, ''The Observer'', 4 May 1964 *Crane, Masters, Wolfe, Etc. Slept Here (on the Chelsea Hotel), ''Esquire'' October 1964 *What Means Tiny Alice? (on Edward Albee), ''New York Herald Tribune'', 31 January 1965 *How To Succeed In The Theatre Without Really Being Successful, ''Esquire'' May 1965 *The Image in the Marketplace, ''Esquire'' July 1965 *Can a Simple Welsh Lass of Thirty-six Find Happiness with a Macedonian Rock-and-Roll Star of Twenty-four?, ''Esquire'' December 1965 * n Christopher Plummer ''New York Herald Tribune'', 26 December 1965 *Tom Wolfe Issue (letter), ''New York Review of Books'' 17 March 1966 *Tom Wolfe ... But Exactly, Yes! ''Vogue'', April 1966 * n Rosemary Harris ''New York Herald Tribune'', 10 April 1966 *Vivien Leigh: On Interviewing a Star On a Wet Washington Day, ''Village Voice'' 1966 *Suddenly It's Fun, ''The Observer'', 20 August 1967 *Finding out the hard way what it means to be Jewish, ''The (London) Times'', 11 February 1976 *Life is All Ups and No Downs on This Carousel (on Erik Erikson), ''New York Times'', 5 September 1976 *Why Actors Do Better for Sidney Lumet, ''New York'', 22 November 1976, *review of Changing, by Liv Ullmann, ''The Saturday Review'', 5 February 1977 *review of Haywire, by Brooke Hayward, ''The Saturday Review'', 2 April 1977 *Born to Please (on Vivien Leigh), ''New York Times'', 22 May 1977 *introduction to ''I'll Never Be Young Again'', Daphne du Maurier, 2005


Short story

*"The Sound of a Marriage", ''Queen'', 1960 or 1965? (reprinted, ''Cosmopolitan'', February 1967)


References


External links


''Life Itself'' (lengthy excerpt)Elaine Dundy website
*
Elvis News interview with Elaine Dundy


{{DEFAULTSORT:Dundy, Elaine 1921 births 2008 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American novelists American expatriates in England American women journalists American people of Latvian descent American people of Polish-Jewish descent American television actresses American voice actresses Jewish American writers People from the Upper East Side Sweet Briar College alumni Writers from Manhattan 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American biographers American women biographers American women novelists 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American short story writers Journalists from New York City Novelists from New York (state) Historians from New York (state) Celebrity biographers American expatriates in France 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews 21st-century American women