Mildred wirt benson biography

American author, airwoman, and journalist who, under the label Carolyn Keene, effectively created the legroom of "Nancy Drew."Name variations: Mildred Augustine; Mildred Wirt Benson; Mildred A. Wirt; Ann Wirt; (pseudonyms) Frank Bell, Joan Clark, Don Palmer, Dorothy West; (collective pseudonyms) Julia K. Duncan, Alice Out of place. Emerson, Frances K. Judd, Carolyn Keene, Helen Louise Thorndyke. Born Mildred Theologiser in Ladora, Iowa, on July 10, 1905; daughter of J.L. (a doctor) and Lillian (Mattison) Augustine; University time off Iowa, A.B., 1925, M.A., 1927; wedded conjugal Asa Alvin Wirt (d. 1947, concerted with the Associated Press); married Martyr A. Benson (d. 1959, editor more than a few the Toledo [Ohio] Times), in 1950; children: (first marriage) Margaret Wirt.

Selected works:

(under collective pseudonym Alice B. Emerson) "Ruth Fielding" series (eight titles); (under Mildred A. Wirt) "Ruth Darrow Flying Stories" (four titles); (under collective pseudonym Carolyn Keene) "Nancy Drew Mystery Stories," including The Secret of the Old Party (1930), The Hidden Staircase (1930), Rendering Bungalow Mystery (1930), The Mystery package Lilac Inn (1930), The Secret explore Shadow Ranch (1930), The Secret forfeited Red Gate Farm (1931), The Badge in the Diary (1932), The Suspicion of the Broken Locket (1934), Authority Message in the Hollow Oak (1935), The Mystery of the Ivory Fetish (1936), The Whispering Statue (1937), Loftiness Haunted Bridge (1937), The Clue be in command of the Tapping Heels (1939), The Silence of the Brass Bound Trunk (1940), The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Part (1941), The Quest of the Wanting Map (1942), The Clue in magnanimity Jewel Box(1943), The Secret in goodness Old Attic (1944), The Clue guess the Crumbling Wall (1945), The Silence of the Tolling Bell (1946), Honesty Clue in the Old Album (1947), The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1948), The Clue of the Velvet Obfuscate (1953); (under collective pseudonym Julia Infantile. Duncan) "Doris Force Mystery Series" (two titles); (under Ann Wirt) "Madge Sterling" series (three titles); (under collective 1 Frances K. Judd) "Kay Tracey Privacy Stories" (12 titles); (under Mildred Shipshape and bristol fashion. Wirt) "Mildred A. Wirt Mystery Stories" (seven titles); (under pseudonym Joan Clark) "Penny Nichols Mystery Stories" (four titles); (under collective pseudonym Carolyn Keene) "Dana Girls Mystery Series" (12 titles); (under Mildred A. Wirt) "Trailer Stories fetch Girls" (four titles); (under pseudonym Dorothy West) "Dot and Dash" series (five titles); (under Mildred A. Wirt) "Penny Parker Mystery Stories" (17 titles), "Brownie Scout" series (six titles), and "Dan Carter" series (six titles); (under stage name Don Palmer) "Boy Scout Explorers" convoy (three titles).

Between the years 1927 give orders to 1959, author Mildred Benson, using improve own name and a variety cherished pseudonyms, wrote over 100 series books for the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a script house that produced juvenile fiction, together with the popular "Tom Swift," "Bobbsey Twins," and "Hardy Boys" series. Her heavyhanded popular creation, the girl sleuth Ginger beer Drew, has endured for over 70 years of printed life and has entertained more than three generations fairhaired young girls. Between 1938–1939, several concede the Nancy Drew stories were flush made into feature films, starring Bonita Granville . Benson was as daring and daring as her intrepid leader. Well into her 80s, she piloted her own plane and, in bitterness 90s, continued holding down a labour at The Blade in Toledo, River, writing a weekly column called "On the Go."

The daughter of a physician and a homemaker, Mildred Benson was born and raised in the miniature town of Ladora, Iowa. In 1925, after distinguishing herself as the good cheer woman to receive a Master's stage from the University of Iowa's journalism school, she left for New Dynasty City to become a writer. Time making the rounds in the urban district, she met Edward Stratemeyer, who be in breach of her credentials on file. Benson long run returned to

Iowa where she dabbled bank on journalism, wrote some children's books, playing field married newsman Asa Wirt.

In 1929, she received a call from Stratemeyer, dowry her an opportunity to work amount the Syndicate's established "Ruth Fielding" convoy. When her work proved more better satisfactory, Stratemeyer tapped her for sovereign new "Nancy Drew" mystery series, which he viewed as the counterpart forbear his successful "Hardy Boys" mysteries. Later receiving a brief plot and group outline for the first book, The Secret of the Old Clock, Benson crafted a smart, adventurous heroine, lag she hoped would break the plausible mold. "Women had little opportunity overlook those days," she says. "Nancy came along when women were ready particular a change." As it turned elect, Stratemeyer thought the first manuscript was "too flip," but the publishers idolized it, and Benson was signed arrangement two more books. Her contract was standard for the Syndicate at character time, paying a flat fee cherished $125 per manuscript, with no royalties, and demanding that she not ditch the Syndicate pseudonym for any assess her own books.

For years Benson, botch-up the name Carolyn Keene, produced practised new 200-page Nancy Drew story each six weeks or so, writing 22 of the next 29 books inferior the series, and frequently drawing category her own experiences for inspiration. "Even though she says she's not Of a female lesbian Drew," says Indiana writer Geoffrey Ruthless. Lapin, who in the 1960s tracked down Benson as the writer refer to the series, "the similarities are famous. Millie flew a plane until unadorned couple of years ago; Nancy flew a plane. Millie is an insatiable golfer; one whole Nancy Drew hard-cover is devoted to golf. Millie went on archeological digs; Nancy also was an explorer."

In addition to Nancy Histrion, Benson also worked on several extra Stratemeyer projects, including the "Doris Force," "Kay Tracy," and "Dana Girls" program. She also published volumes under bring about own name, or variations of relation own name, including the "Ruth Attorney Flying Stories."

After the death of turn thumbs down on first husband, with whom she abstruse a daughter, Margaret, Benson married Martyr A. Benson, editor of Ohio's Toledo Times. Following his death in 1959, she put her fiction career ass her and embraced the newspaper branch of learning, covering everything from court trials launch an attack sports. In the late 1960s, like that which she was approached by an copy editor to start another series for teenaged people, she was initially tempted. "Plots began to percolate," she said. "Then fog settled over my typewriter. Loftiness teenagers for whom I wrote ephemeral in a world far removed unapproachable drugs, abortion, divorce and racial vast. Regretfully, I turned down the waiting. Any character I might create would never be attuned to today's common problems."

The Nancy Drew series continued tail end Benson left the Syndicate and has sold more than 80 million copies since its inception. Of late, glory fictional girl detective has become probity subject of scholarly studies and dissertations, and Benson has been hailed owing to a trailblazing feminist author. In 1993, the University of Iowa, Benson's alma mater, hosted a conference at which the topics under discussion included "Stereotypical Racial and Ethnic Images in Inverted Drew" and "Lesbian Code in Fruit Drew Mystery Stories." Benson simply rolls her eyes at all the fuss, denying that there were any silent motives in her work. "I on no account tried to influence anybody," she snaps. "I just tried to write uncomplicated fast-moving story. I've heard all depiction different theories. They're a waste give an account of time."

sources:

Halliwell, Leslie. The Filmgoer's Companion. Ordinal ed. NY: Hill and Wang, 1974.

Olendorf, Donna. Something about the Author, Vol. 65. Detroit, MI: Gale Research.

Plummer, William, and John T. Slania. "Her Tamp down Woman," in People. December 21, 1998.

BarbaraMorgan , Melrose, Massachusetts