Gene Fowler

Gene Fowler – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Gene Fowler (1890–1960) was an American journalist, author, and screenwriter whose wit, sharp observation, and prolific writing left a lasting mark. Explore the life, career, philosophy, and memorable sayings of Gene Fowler.

Introduction

Gene Fowler stands out in American letters as a journalist, biographer, novelist, and Hollywood screenwriter whose voice combined grit, humor, and insight. Born March 8, 1890, and passing July 2, 1960, Fowler’s career spanned newspapers, books, and film. His famously pithy aphorisms—especially about writing—are still quoted today. In an era when journalism and entertainment intertwined, Fowler managed to shape both worlds, leaving a legacy of stories, personalities, and wit.

Early Life and Family

Gene Fowler was born Eugene Devlan (or Devlin) in Denver, Colorado. When his mother remarried, he adopted his stepfather’s surname and became known as Gene Fowler.

Little is documented about his childhood in great detail, but his formative years in Colorado would inform much of his early sensibility as a newspaperman, keen on observation, local stories, and the color of ordinary life.

In 1916, he married Agnes Hubbard, and the couple had three children: Gene Fowler Jr. (1917–1998), Jane, and Will. Gene Fowler Jr. would become a successful film editor and occasional director in Hollywood.

Youth and Education

Fowler attended the University of Colorado for about a year, but he did not complete a full degree. Almost from the start, journalism drew him in. He joined The Denver Post early in his career, taking on reporting assignments and learning to write on deadline.

One early notable assignment was interviewing Buffalo Bill Cody, during which he courageously (some accounts say impertinently) questioned Cody’s many romantic liaisons. This bold questioning became part of his legend as a reporter unafraid to pry.

Career and Achievements

Journalism and Newspaper Work

After Denver, Fowler migrated east. He spent time in Chicago, where he encountered prominent writers like Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. He then moved to New York and worked for major newspapers: the New York Daily Mirror, New York Evening Journal, and later as managing editor at New York American and The Morning Telegraph. At The Morning Telegraph, his staff included notable names like Hecht, MacArthur, Ring Lardner, Martha Ostenso, Walter Winchell, and Nellie Revell. He also served as a syndication manager for King Features.

Fowler was known for speed, a bracing tone, and his willingness to mix humor and hard edge. His journalism background infused much of his later writing with a reporter’s eye for detail and narrative.

Transition to Books, Biographies, and Film

Fowler's transition into long-form writing saw early success. His third book, The Great Mouthpiece (on attorney William J. Fallon), became a bestseller and opened doors into Hollywood.

He penned or co-wrote a number of screenplays in the 1930s and 1940s, including:

• What Price Hollywood? (1932)

• State’s Attorney (1932)

• The Call of the Wild (1935)

• Billy the Kid (1941)

• The Mighty Barnum (co-written)

• Twentieth Century (1934)

He also authored biographies and memoirs, including:

• Good Night, Sweet Prince: The Life and Times of John Barrymore (1944)

• Beau James: The Life & Times of Jimmy Walker (1949)

• Schnozzola: The Story of Jimmy Durante (1951)

• Skyline: A Reporter’s Reminiscence of the 1920s (posthumous, 1961)

His Hollywood connections were strong; he moved among stars, actors, and performers. He wrote with admiration (but never naively) about figures like John Barrymore and W. C. Fields.

One vivid anecdote: outside Barrymore’s hospital room in 1942, a stranger claiming to heal Barrymore burst in. Fowler—reportedly losing patience—grabbed him by the collar and threw him down stairs exclaiming, “Physician, heal thyself!”

Fowler claimed Barrymore’s last words, addressed to him, were: “Is it true that you’re the illegitimate son of Buffalo Bill?”

Throughout, Fowler’s style retained the directness of a reporter, flavored with theatrical observation and wry humor.

Historical Milestones & Context

Fowler’s life threaded through major cultural epochs: the heyday of print journalism, the rise of mass-market newspapers, the golden age of Hollywood, and the growth of celebrity biographical writing.

• His move from newspaper to books and screen mirrored the shift many writers made as film became influential in American culture.

• His friendships and collaborations placed him at the junction of literary, journalistic, and entertainment spheres.

• He wrote during the 1920s–1950s, periods of great social, political, and cultural transformation: Prohibition, the Great Depression, World War II, and postwar America.

• He witnessed firsthand the metamorphosis of media: from local papers to national syndication, to mass entertainment via cinema.

He helped blur borders: journalists who became novelists or screenwriters, biography evolving into public spectacle, and celebrity as subject. His work anticipated today’s fusion of news, narrative, and persona.

Legacy and Influence

Gene Fowler’s legacy lies partly in his voice — his capacity to see human comedy and tragedy through a writer’s lens. His quotes remain staples among writers and creatives.

He influenced biographical and celebrity writing: books like Beau James and Good Night, Sweet Prince showed how to fuse narrative, character, and historical detail.

His son, Gene Fowler Jr., continued the entertainment legacy as a prominent film editor and director.

Though not always in the spotlight today, Fowler’s approach—to write fast, observe sharply, and never shrink from flair—resonates in writers’ circles, journalism, and creative nonfiction.

He is sometimes quoted by writers to remind them of the struggle of starting with a blank page, of resisting critics, and of finding voice in pressure.

Personality and Talents

Fowler was known as an irrepressible wit, forthright and fearless in his humor. He moved comfortably among actors, writers, and newspapermen.

He had a reputation for talking straight. He often leaned into bluntness, though usually with charm. He wasn’t above cynicism, but he also exhibited affection for people and their foibles.

He combined virtues of speed, audacity, and narrative appetite. His early journalism taught him to think quickly, and he carried that over to books and scripts.

He was also persistent: he worked for years on Skyline, and at his death had nearly completed it.

While not a polished academic, his strength was in story sense — the ability to see tension, voice, character, drama — and then deliver with readable style.

Famous Quotes of Gene Fowler

Below are some of Gene Fowler’s most quoted lines — among writers especially, these have enduring appeal:

“Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.”

“The best way to become a successful writer is to read good writing, remember it, and then forget where you remember it from.”

“Men are not against you; they are merely for themselves.”

“News is history shot on the wing. The huntsmen from the Fourth Estate seek to bag only the peacock or the eagle of the swifting day.”

“Sometimes I think my writing sounds like I walked out of the room and left the typewriter running.”

“A book is never finished; it's abandoned.”

“Don’t be dismayed by the opinions of editors, or critics. They are only the traffic cops of the arts.”

“What is success? It is a toy balloon among children armed with pins.”

“Everyone needs a warm personal enemy or two to keep him free from rust in the movable parts of his mind.”

“He has a profound respect for old age. Especially when it’s bottled.”

These quotations reveal Fowler’s attitude toward writing (it’s brutal), life (people are self-oriented), and the creative process (don’t be discouraged by critics).

Lessons from Gene Fowler

1. Embrace the struggle of beginnings. His famous “blank sheet of paper” line reminds writers that every creation begins in nothingness—and sometimes agony is part of the process.

2. Read widely, internalize, and transform. He advised writers to absorb good writing and then let it morph into something original.

3. Don’t worship critics or editors. He regarded them as guides or gatekeepers, not as ultimate arbiters of value.

4. Observe life with humor. Fowler’s strength was noticing human quirks and turning them gently, sometimes sharply, into narrative.

5. Persist. Even projects that take years or remain unfinished contribute to a writer’s voice and identity.

6. Balance ambition and humility. Fowler moved comfortably among high culture, show business, and journalism—never too rigid for one world, never lost in another.

Conclusion

Gene Fowler may not be a household name today, yet among writers, journalists, and lovers of wit he deserves rediscovery. His life illustrates how one can traverse journalism, books, and film while retaining a personal voice. His quotations continue to resonate because they succinctly express the trials, joys, and ironies of creating with words.

If you’re writing, reading, or simply looking for a voice that speaks true to the creative grind, exploring Fowler’s works and sayings can offer both solace and challenge. Dive into Skyline or Beau James, let his sentences surprise you—and remember: the blank page is the battlefield of creation.