Damon Runyon

Damon Runyon (October 4, 1884 - December 10, 1946) was a newspaperman and writer.

Runyon in Popular Culture

Books

The Tents of Trouble (Poems; 1911)

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Rhymes of the Firing Line (1912)

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Guys and Dolls (1932)

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Damon Runyon's Blue Plate Special (1934)

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Money From Home (1935)

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More Than Somewhat (1937)

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Furthermore (1938)

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Take It Easy (1938)

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My Wife Ethel (1939)

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My Old Man (1939)

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The Best of Runyon (1940)

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A Slight Case of Murder (with Howard Lindsay, 1940)

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Damon Runyon Favorites (1942)

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Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker (with W. Kiernan, 1942)

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Runyon a la Carte (1944)

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The Damon Runyon Omnibus (1944)

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Short Takes (1946)

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In Our Town (1946)

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The Three Wise Guys and Other Stories (1946)

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Trials and Other Tribulations (1947)

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Poems for Men (1947)

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Runyon First and Last (1949)

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Runyon on Broadway (1950)

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More Guys and Dolls (1950)

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The Turps (1951)

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Damon Runyon from First to Last (1954)

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A Treasury of Damon Runyon (1958)

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The Bloodhounds of Broadway and Other Stories (1985)

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Guys, Dolls, and Curveballs: Damon Runyon on Baseball (2005; Jim Reisler, editor)

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Films

Numerous Damon Runyon stories were adapted for the stage and the screen. Some of the best of these include:

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• Lady for a Day (1933)---Adapted by Bob Riskin, who suggested the name change from Runyon's title "Madame La Gimp," the film garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Frank Capra), Best Actress (May Robson), and Best Adaptation for the Screen (Riskin). This would be remade as Pocketful of Miracles in 1961, with Bette Davis in the Apple Annie role and a rather jauntily Runyonesque singer named Sinatra hitting big with its upbeat theme song---which garnered an Oscar nomination for composers Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen and for co-star Peter Falk (Best Supporting Actor).
• The Lemon Drop Kid (1934)---Starring future I Love Lucy co-star William Frawley as a racetrack tout.
• Little Miss Marker (1934)---The film that made Shirley Temple a star, launched her career as perhaps America's most beloved child film star, and pushed her past Greta Garbo as the nation's biggest film draw of the year. Subsequent remakes include Sorrwful Jones (1949; Bob Hope, Lucille Ball), Forty Pounds of Trouble (1963; Tony Curtis), and Little Miss Marker (1980; Walter Matthau, Julie Andrews, Bob Newhart, Tony Curtis.)
• A Slight Case of Murder (1938; Edward G. Robinson).
• The Big Street (1942, adapted from Runyon's story, "The Little Pinks"; Henry Fonda, Lucille Ball).
• Butch Minds the Baby (1942; Broderick Crawford, Shemp Howard)
• It Ain't Hay (1943, adapted from "Princess O'Hara; Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Patsy O'Connor)
• Money From Home (1953; Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis)
• Guys and Dolls (1955; Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra)

Miscellany

• He was the inspiration for history's first telethon, hosted by Milton (Mr. Television) Berle in 1949 to raise funds for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.
• He is mentioned in the song: "Department Of Youth" by Alice Cooper. "We're living proof. And we've never heard of Billy Sunday, Damon Runyon, manners or couth."