Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. (1911-2001)

Author. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, he grew up in Montclair, New Jersey with eleven brothers and sisters and was graduated from the University of Michigan, where he served as editor of the college newspaper, The Michigan Daily. He then worked as a reporter for the New York Herald Tribune. In 1934, he moved to the news staff of The News and Courier, Charleston, where he married Elizabeth Cauthen. They had one child, before her death in 1954. During the Second World War, he served as a naval officer in the South Pacific and was decorated with two air medals and a bronze star. In 1947, he returned to The News and Courier as an editorial writer and under the pen name Ashley Cooper, he wrote a long-running column for the Charleston Post Courier. In 1949, he and his sister, Ernestine, collaborated in writing the biographical book, ‘Cheaper by the Dozen' which quickly achieved bestseller status. It was made into a film in 1950 which starred Myrna Loy and Clifton Webb as his parents while he was portrayed by Norman Ollestad. That same year, he and his sister received the French International Humor Award for their work. A sequel, ‘Belles on their Toes' followed in 1952. In 1955, he married Mary Pringle Manigault with whom he had two children. Other works included the humorous books, ‘Innside Nantucket' and ‘Time Out for Happiness,' as well as the booklet, ‘A Dictionary of Charlestonese.' In 1998 he was named to the South Carolina Academy of Authors. He died one month shy of his 90th birthday while out playing a round of golf.

Bio by: Iola