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Philip Van Doren Stern
Dec. 19th, 2011 10:31 pmThere's this thing where you come across a reference to a word or thing you've never heard of before, and suddenly your seeing references everywhere.
Last month I was reading a biography of Robert E. Lee, written by his nephew Fitzhugh Lee. I was mentioning this to people at Novacon because the book had a 1961 copyright date despite Fitzhugh Lee dying in 1905. I presume the date refers to the introduction to that edition, written by one Philip Van Doren Stern.
A couple of weeks later, I read a newspaper article which mentioned this person. He was mainly known as an historian, especially of the American Civil War, but in 1939 he had the idea for a story in a dream which he finally completed in 1943. Unable to find a publisher, he had copies of this story, The Greatest Gift, printed as a Christmas card and sent it to his friends. It found its way to a film producer. Cary Grant saw it and wanted to appear in a film version, but that fell through. Then it came to the attention of Frank Capra who cast James Stewart in the lead and called it It's a Wonderful Life.
I've just been watching the Christmas special episode of Warehouse 13. I'd guessed from the synopsis of the story - Pete finds himself in a world where he never existed - that it was going to based on It's a Wonderful Life. Then Artie explains why this has happened. Pete touched a brush that belonged to - Philip Van Doren Stern.
Last month I was reading a biography of Robert E. Lee, written by his nephew Fitzhugh Lee. I was mentioning this to people at Novacon because the book had a 1961 copyright date despite Fitzhugh Lee dying in 1905. I presume the date refers to the introduction to that edition, written by one Philip Van Doren Stern.
A couple of weeks later, I read a newspaper article which mentioned this person. He was mainly known as an historian, especially of the American Civil War, but in 1939 he had the idea for a story in a dream which he finally completed in 1943. Unable to find a publisher, he had copies of this story, The Greatest Gift, printed as a Christmas card and sent it to his friends. It found its way to a film producer. Cary Grant saw it and wanted to appear in a film version, but that fell through. Then it came to the attention of Frank Capra who cast James Stewart in the lead and called it It's a Wonderful Life.
I've just been watching the Christmas special episode of Warehouse 13. I'd guessed from the synopsis of the story - Pete finds himself in a world where he never existed - that it was going to based on It's a Wonderful Life. Then Artie explains why this has happened. Pete touched a brush that belonged to - Philip Van Doren Stern.
