Weidman, Jerome

▪ 1999

      American author (b. April 4, 1913, New York, N.Y.—d. Oct. 6, 1998, New York), created novels, short stories, and plays in which he presented a harsh and unapologetic view of New York City. The son of Jewish immigrants, Weidman grew up in New York City on Manhattan's Lower East Side. After graduating from high school, he worked in the garment district, where he gathered material for his writing. His first story, written at the age of 17, appeared in the American Spectator. Weidman attended the City College of New York (1930-33) and Washington Square College (1933-34) of New York University. While enrolled in New York University Law School, he penned his first novel, I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1937), which detailed the greed and amorality of the garment trade. The book received critical acclaim and commercial success (and later [1962] became a Broadway musical), but it also garnered criticism from the Jewish community for Weidman's unflattering character portrayals. Undaunted, he published a sequel, What's in It for Me? (1938), which was even more scathing than its predecessor. Although he was admitted to the bar, Weidman never practiced law, preferring to pursue a literary career. In addition to novels, he wrote numerous short stories, some of which were published in The New Yorker magazine, and many plays. He and George Abbott were corecipients of the 1960 Pulitzer Prize for drama for the book of the musical Fiorello!—the story of Fiorello Henry La Guardia, who served (1934-45) as mayor of New York City. Fiorello! also tied for best musical play with The Sound of Music for the 1960 Tony award. From 1969 to 1974 Weidman served as president of the Authors' League of America, and he published his memoir, Praying for Rain, in 1986.

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