American Author. He was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended Evanston Township High School. He served in the American Field Service as an ambulance driver during World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart. Following the war, he gained employment as a ghost writer and on the basis of his success had two novels published under the pen name Virginia Rowans: "Oh What a Wonderful Wedding!" (1953) and "House Party" (1954). His greatest success came with the publication in 1955 of "Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade," written using the pen name Patrick Dennis. It remained on the New York Times Bestseller List for 112 weeks and sold more than two million copies. The novel was adapted into a stage play (1956); a film (1958); a musical (1966); and a musical film (1974). He would go on to publish twelve novels under the pen name Patrick Dennis and four under the pen name Virginia Rowans. His last novel, "3-D," was published in 1972 as Patrick Dennis. His work had fallen out of fashion by this time and having depleted his considerable earnings as an author, he sought employment as a butler, a position in which he found personal fulfillment. He was married on December 13, 1948 to Louise Stickney, a well-respected poet, and they had two children. A gay man, he would later leave his wife, although they were never divorced, and become actively involved in the gay community in Greenwich Village.
American Author. He was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended Evanston Township High School. He served in the American Field Service as an ambulance driver during World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart. Following the war, he gained employment as a ghost writer and on the basis of his success had two novels published under the pen name Virginia Rowans: "Oh What a Wonderful Wedding!" (1953) and "House Party" (1954). His greatest success came with the publication in 1955 of "Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade," written using the pen name Patrick Dennis. It remained on the New York Times Bestseller List for 112 weeks and sold more than two million copies. The novel was adapted into a stage play (1956); a film (1958); a musical (1966); and a musical film (1974). He would go on to publish twelve novels under the pen name Patrick Dennis and four under the pen name Virginia Rowans. His last novel, "3-D," was published in 1972 as Patrick Dennis. His work had fallen out of fashion by this time and having depleted his considerable earnings as an author, he sought employment as a butler, a position in which he found personal fulfillment. He was married on December 13, 1948 to Louise Stickney, a well-respected poet, and they had two children. A gay man, he would later leave his wife, although they were never divorced, and become actively involved in the gay community in Greenwich Village.
Bio by: CMWJR
Gravesite Details
Unmarked grave adjacent to wife.
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