Age, Biography and Wiki

Morrie Ryskind (Morris Ryskind) was born on 20 October, 1895 in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., is an American dramatist and conservative activist. Discover Morrie Ryskind's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 89 years old?

Popular As Morris Ryskind
Occupation Dramatist, screenwriter, lyricist, newspaper columnist
Age 89 years old
Zodiac Sign Libra
Born 20 October, 1895
Birthday 20 October
Birthplace Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Date of death 24 August, 1985
Died Place Washington, D.C., U.S.
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 20 October. He is a member of famous Writer with the age 89 years old group.

Morrie Ryskind Height, Weight & Measurements

At 89 years old, Morrie Ryskind height not available right now. We will update Morrie Ryskind's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
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Who Is Morrie Ryskind's Wife?

His wife is Mary House (1929–1985)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Mary House (1929–1985)
Sibling Not Available
Children 2

Morrie Ryskind Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Morrie Ryskind worth at the age of 89 years old? Morrie Ryskind’s income source is mostly from being a successful Writer. He is from United States. We have estimated Morrie Ryskind's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Writer

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Timeline

1895

Morris "Morrie" Ryskind (October 20, 1895 – August 24, 1985) was an American dramatist, lyricist and writer of theatrical productions and movies who became a conservative political activist later in life.

Ryskind was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants Ida (Edelson) and Abraham Ryskind.

1917

He attended Columbia University but was suspended shortly before he was due to graduate after he called university president Nicholas Murray Butler "Czar Nicholas" in the pages of the humor magazine Jester in 1917.

Ryskind was criticizing Butler for refusing to allow Ilya Tolstoy speak on campus.

1927

From 1927 to 1945, Ryskind was author of numerous scripts and musical lyrics for Broadway productions and Hollywood films, and he later directed several productions.

He collaborated with George S. Kaufman on several Broadway hits.

1929

Ryskind wrote or cowrote several Marx Brothers theatrical and screenplays, including the book for the Broadway musical Animal Crackers (1929) (with Kaufman), and he wrote the screenplays for the film versions of The Cocoanuts (1929) and Animal Crackers (1930).

1930

For many years, Ryskind had been a member of the Socialist Party of America, and during the 1930s he participated in party-sponsored activities, even performing sketches at antiwar events, but he split with the party's Old Guard faction led by Louis Waldman.

His politics soon moved to the political right.

1933

In 1933, he earned the Pulitzer Prize for drama for the Broadway production Of Thee I Sing, a musical written in collaboration with composer George Gershwin.

1935

Later he cowrote, again with Kaufman, the screenplay for A Night at the Opera (1935), which helped revive interest in the Marx Brothers and was selected by the American Film Institute as among the top 100 comedy films.

In working on that script, Ryskind was heavily involved in the "cleanup process," watching the brothers repeatedly perform sections of the play before live audiences to determine which lines worked and which did not.

In an interview with Richard J. Anobile in The Marx Brothers Scrapbook, Groucho Marx said that he was so appalled by an early draft of the script, which was reportedly written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, that he screamed "Why fuck around with second-rate talent, get Kaufman and Ryskind [to write the screenplay]!"

1936

During that period, Ryskind was twice nominated for an Academy Award for his part in writing the films My Man Godfrey (starring Carole Lombard, 1936) and Stage Door (starring Katharine Hepburn, 1937).

Later, he wrote the screenplay for the successful Penny Serenade, wrote the stage musical Louisiana Purchase (which soon became a film starring Bob Hope) and supervised the production of The Lady Comes Across.

1938

Ryskind also rewrote the stage version of Room Service (1938), reworking the plot to make the film suitable for the Marx Brothers.

1940

In 1940, Ryskind abandoned the Democratic Party, and he opposed President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's pursuit of a third term, writing the campaign song for that year's Republican Party presidential nominee Wendell Willkie.

He maintained some ties to the Socialist Party throughout the 1940s and served as a vice chairman of the Keep America Out of War Congress.

He became a friend to writers Max Eastman, Ayn Rand, John Dos Passos, Suzanne La Follette and Raymond Moley.

Later, he would become a friend to William F. Buckley, Jr. and future president Ronald Reagan.

1947

In 1947, he appeared before the House Committee on Un-American Activities as a "friendly witness."

Ryskind never sold another script after that appearance, and he believed that his appearance before HUAC was responsible, although there is no direct evidence of an organized campaign against the "friendly witnesses."

1950

In the 1950s, Ryskind contributed articles to The Freeman, In 1954, he was also a board member of the American Jewish League Against Communism.

1955

He lent money to Buckley to help start The National Review, which began publication in 1955, another journal to which he was an early contributor.

Ryskind briefly joined the John Birch Society but soon disassociated himself from the group after it began to claim that Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower were part of the Soviet conspiracy.

He was also a vocal sympathizer with the anti-Zionist American Council for Judaism.

1960

In 1960, Ryskind started to write a feature column in the Los Angeles Times that promoted conservative ideas for the next 11 years.

His son Allan H. Ryskind was the longtime editor of the conservative weekly Human Events.

The elder Ryskind's autobiography I Shot an Elephant in My Pajamas: The Morrie Ryskind Story details his adventures from Broadway to Hollywood as well as his conversion to conservative politics.