Ring Lardner

[NOIRTRASH]

http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/haircut.html
HAURCUT

Lardner was once a popular magazine writer then SCRIBNER author along with many of the greats of the 1920s and 30s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_Lardner

 

[Wifetheif]

http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/haircut.html
HAURCUT

Lardner was once a popular magazine writer then SCRIBNER author along with many of the greats of the 1920s and 30s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_Lardner

I've read a bit of Lardner. He features in my first nonfiction book as a bit more than a cameo role. For his times he was hilarious. We may not think much of wordplay like "world serious" and "umpires of Japan" today but back then, when SO MANY writers were deadly serious he introduced comedy and wordplay which had virtually disappeared from "popular" fiction. Incredibly smart guy. His humor may have been genetic, his son Ring Lardner, Jr. wrote many of the best and funniest episodes of M*A*S*H.

His "Busher" stories stand up well today. Written in the illiterate vernacular of complete oaf who has an ability to play professional baseball, the stories essentially invented the stereotype of the "dumb jock."

Lardner based the busher on several real ball players and pulled the veneer off the sporting press of the day which was pushing the myth that ball players were smart guys and great role models. That was NEVER been true.

He really should be reevaluated today for a new audience.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

I've read a bit of Lardner. He features in my first nonfiction book as a bit more than a cameo role. For his times he was hilarious. We may not think much of wordplay like "world serious" and "umpires of Japan" today but back then, when SO MANY writers were deadly serious he introduced comedy and wordplay which had virtually disappeared from "popular" fiction. Incredibly smart guy. His humor may have been genetic, his son Ring Lardner, Jr. wrote many of the best and funniest episodes of M*A*S*H.

His "Busher" stories stand up well today. Written in the illiterate vernacular of complete oaf who has an ability to play professional baseball, the stories essentially invented the stereotype of the "dumb jock."

Lardner based the busher on several real ball players and pulled the veneer off the sporting press of the day which was pushing the myth that ball players were smart guys and great role models. That was NEVER been true.

He really should be reevaluated today for a new audience.

Lardner's appeal today is his mastery of dialog. Cain attributed his mastery of dialog to Lardner and both Elmore Leonard and George V.Higgins claim Cain as their mentors with dialog.

 

[rjordan]

His humor may have been genetic, his son Ring Lardner, Jr. wrote many of the best and funniest episodes of M*A*S*H.

That would be news to the dozens of writers who actually wrote for the television show, MASH.

Ring Lardner Jr. wrote the screenplay for MASH the movie, for which he won an Oscar, but he had nothing to do with the television program.

rj

 

[HectorBidon]

I read an essay in the New Yorker years ago that quoted a line of Lardner's:

. 'Shut up,' he explained.

Four little words, completely out of context. Broke me up then, and every time I've thought about it since.