Harry Neal Baum
Harry Neal Baum | |
|---|---|
 Maud Gage Baum and her four sons, Robert, Harry, Kenneth, and Frank, 1900 | |
| Born | December 18, 1889 Aberdeen, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | June 7, 1967 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Spouses |
Brenda Holter (m. 1942) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | L. Frank Baum Maud Gage |
| Relatives | Matilda Joslyn Gage (maternal grandmother) Frank Joslyn Baum (brother) Roger S. Baum (grandnephew) |
Harry Neal Baum (December 18, 1889 – June 7, 1967) was an American author and the third son of L. Frank Baum. His father dedicated his 1902 novel The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus to him.
Baum, who received a Ph.D. in
Early life
Raised in Chicago, Baum was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on December 18, 1889, to Maud Gage and L. Frank Baum.[1][2] The third son of L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,[3] he was named "Harry Neal Baum" to honor Harry Baum and Hattie and William Neal, L. Frank Baum's brother, sister, and brother-in-law, respectively.[2] His brothers were Frank Joslyn, Robert Stanton, and Kenneth Gage.[4]
Career
Baum received a Ph.D. in
The Wizard of Oz and personal life
In 1944, Harry starred as President Woodrow Wilson in the play The Time to Come produced by the Little Theater of Western Springs. He stated that he considered acting to be only a hobby. He had seen the opening production of The Wizard of Oz, which had been written by his father.[8] Baum also served as the host of a number of annual meetings held by The International Wizard of Oz Club.[1] At the 1964 convention, he awarded a gold plaque, the annual club's annual Oz award, to its founder Justin Schiller who had established the club when he was thirteen years old.[10]
Baum married Mary Niles in 1910.[11] In 1942, he married Brenda Holter,[11] a pianist and composer who served as the president of Chicago's Musicians Club of Women.[1]
Baum retired to Bass Lake, Indiana, at which he managed the Wizard of Oz lodge.[1] Upon his death, on June 7, 1967, he was survived by his wife, Brenda. He was also survived by sons Richard and Henry and daughters Ann and Judith, as well as 11 grandchildren.[1]
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g "Services Set for H. N. Baum, Author's Son: Father Wrote Famous 'Wizard of Oz'" (PDF). Chicago Tribune. 1967-06-09. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-28. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
- ^ a b Schwartz 2009, p. 149
- ^ Abrams & Zimmer 2010, p. 44
- ^ Bohnett & Buzz 2001, p. 116
- ^ "Harry Neal Baum". The International Wizard of Oz Club. Archived from the original on 2010-07-14. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ^ Rogers 2003, p. 181
- ^ "Harry N. Baum" (PDF). Chicago Tribune. 1947-02-16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-28. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ^ a b Sweet, Oney Fred (1944-02-20). "Tells How Dad Wrote 'Wizard of Oz' Stories" (PDF). Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-28. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
- ^ Rogers 2003, p. 221
- ^ Cromie, Robert (1964-06-30). "Report on Convention of Ozites" (PDF). Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-28. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ^ a b Morena 2001, p. 179
- Bibliography
- Abrams, Dennis; Zimmer, Kyle (2010). L. Frank Baum. New York: ISBN 978-1-60413-501-5.
- Bohnett, Brian J.; Brown, Buzz (2001). Them was the days!: Edgar Rice Burroughs and the History of the Michigan Military Academy. Holt, Michigan: Mad Kings Pub. ISBN 0-9712181-0-2.
- Morena, Gita Dorothy (2001). The Wisdom of Oz: Reflections of a Jungian Sandplay Therapist. Berkeley: Frog Books. ISBN 0-547-05510-2.
- Rogers, Katherine M. (2003). L. Frank Baum, Creator of Oz. New York: ISBN 0-306-81297-5.
- Schwartz, Evan I. (2009). Finding Oz: how L. Frank Baum discovered the Great American story. Boston: ISBN 978-0-547-05510-7.