FixQuotes Logo White

Don Marquis Biography

Don Marquis, Journalist
Attr: Bain News Service, publisher
Born asDonald Robert Perry Marquis
Occup.Journalist
FromUSA
BornJuly 29, 1878
Walnut, Illinois, USA
DiedDecember 29, 1937
New York City, New York, USA
CauseStroke
Aged59 years
Early Life and Education
Donald Robert Perry Marquis, frequently called Don Marquis, was born upon July 29, 1878, in Walnut, Illinois, USA. He grew up in the Midwest and went to Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, though he did not complete his degree. His early years in Illinois and direct exposure to the lively cultural scene of the Midwest significantly shaped his literary voice and journalistic career.

Career Beginnings
Marquis began his profession as a journalist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His early work saw him as a press reporter and editor for numerous newspapers, developing the wit and observational abilities that would later on define his writing. His transfer to New York City marked a critical point in his career as he started working for the New York Evening Sun.

Significant Work: Archy and Mehitabel
Don Marquis is possibly best known for producing the characters Archy and Mehitabel. Archy, a free-verse poet reincarnated as a cockroach, and Mehitabel, a feline with a previous life as Cleopatra, debuted in a series of whimsical and poignant columns written for the New York Evening Sun. Archy would "type" his ideas on a typewriter by jumping on the keys, hence the columns were identified by the absence of uppercase. These columns were later assembled into a number of collections, including "Archy and Mehitabel" (1927) and "Archy's Life of Mehitabel" (1933), which stay beloved classics.

Other Literary Contributions
Beyond Archy and Mehitabel, Marquis was a prolific writer who authored both poetry and prose. His works often reflected his eager sense of humor and satirical eye. He released various collections of poetry and short stories and tried novel-length works. His versatility as an author enabled him to cross over into various genres and mediums, making his a familiar name in American literary circles of the early 20th century.

Influences and Collaborations
Marquis's work was influenced by his journalistic background, in addition to contemporary social and political occasions. He was familiarized with different writers, artists, and intellectuals of his time, contributing to a vibrant exchange of concepts. His funny and satirical design has been compared to that of his contemporaries, such as James Thurber and H.L. Mencken.

Personal Life
Don Marquis married twice. His first partner, Reina Melcher, passed away in 1923. He later wed Marjorie Potts Vonnegut. He had two kids, a son who died in infancy and a child, Barbara. Regardless of individual catastrophes and struggles, consisting of financial instability, Marquis stayed a dedicated author.

Later Years and Legacy
Don Marquis continued to compose and publish till his health began to fail in the mid-1930s. He died on December 29, 1937, in New York City. His tradition endures through his contributions to American humor and poetry. The character of Archy, in particular, remains a testament to his imaginative brilliance and enduring appeal across generations.

Impact and Remembrance
Don Marquis's work, specifically his Archy and Mehitabel series, has actually left a long lasting imprint on American literature. His ability to blend humor with humanistic insights has endeared him to readers for decades. His productions continue to be celebrated for their beauty, wit, and originality, making sure that Marquis's literary contributions are remembered and valued.

Our collection contains 40 quotes who is written / told by Don, under the main topics: Happiness - Age - Work - Experience.

Related authors: James Thurber (Comedian), Cleopatra (Royalty), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

Frequently Asked Questions
  • Q: Don Marquis pronunciation
    A: Pronounced as 'Don Mar-kwis.'
  • Q: Don Marquis University of Kansas
    A: He briefly attended but did not graduate.
  • Q: Don Marquis poems
    A: He is famous for his humorous 'Archy and Mehitabel' series.
  • Q: Don Marquis Philosophy
    A: He believed in humor and wit as vital expressions of human experience.
  • Q: Don Marquis death
    A: Don Marquis died on December 29, 1937.
  • Q: How old was Don Marquis?
    A: He became 59 years old
Don Marquis Famous Works:
Source / external links:

40 Famous quotes by Don Marquis

Small: When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: Whose?
"When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: 'Whose?'"
Like
Small: The art of newspaper paragraphing is to stroke a platitude until it purrs like an epigram
"The art of newspaper paragraphing is to stroke a platitude until it purrs like an epigram"
Like
Small: An idea is not responsible for the people who believe in it
"An idea is not responsible for the people who believe in it"
Like
Small: Middle age is the time when a man is always thinking that in a week or two he will feel as good as ever
"Middle age is the time when a man is always thinking that in a week or two he will feel as good as ever"
Like
Small: A hypocrite is a person who - but who isnt?
"A hypocrite is a person who - but who isn't?"
Like
Small: An idea isnt responsible for the people who believe in it
"An idea isn't responsible for the people who believe in it"
Like
Small: A sequel is an admission that youve been reduced to imitating yourself
"A sequel is an admission that you've been reduced to imitating yourself"
Like
Small: Bores bore each other too but it never seems to teach them anything
"Bores bore each other too; but it never seems to teach them anything"
Like
Small: Happiness is the interval between periods of unhappiness
"Happiness is the interval between periods of unhappiness"
Like
Small: Publishing a volume of verse is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the ec
"Publishing a volume of verse is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo"
Like
Small: Man cannot be uplifted he must be seduced into virtue
"Man cannot be uplifted; he must be seduced into virtue"
Like
Small: There is luxury in self-reproach. When we blame ourselves, we feel no one else has a right to blame us
"There is luxury in self-reproach. When we blame ourselves, we feel no one else has a right to blame us"
Like
Small: Pity the meek, for they shall inherit the earth
"Pity the meek, for they shall inherit the earth"
Like
Small: If you want to get rich from writing, write the sort of thing thats read by persons who move their lips
"If you want to get rich from writing, write the sort of thing that's read by persons who move their lips when they're reading to themselves"
Like
Small: Fate often puts all the material for happiness and prosperity into a mans hands just to see how miserab
"Fate often puts all the material for happiness and prosperity into a man's hands just to see how miserable he can make himself with them"
Like
Small: A pessimist is a person who has had to listen to too many optimists
"A pessimist is a person who has had to listen to too many optimists"
Like
Small: In order to influence a child, one must be careful not to be that childs parent or grandparent
"In order to influence a child, one must be careful not to be that child's parent or grandparent"
Like
Small: Fishing is a delusion entirely surrounded by liars in old clothes
"Fishing is a delusion entirely surrounded by liars in old clothes"
Like
Small: Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday
"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday"
Like
Small: Ours is a world where people dont know what they want and are willing to go through hell to get it
"Ours is a world where people don't know what they want and are willing to go through hell to get it"
Like
Small: One of the most important things to remember about infant care is: dont change diapers in midstream
"One of the most important things to remember about infant care is: don't change diapers in midstream"
Like
Small: Ideas pull the trigger, but instinct loads the gun
"Ideas pull the trigger, but instinct loads the gun"
Like
Small: By the time a bartender knows what drink a man will have before he orders, there is little else about h
"By the time a bartender knows what drink a man will have before he orders, there is little else about him worth knowing"
Like
Small: There is nothing so habit-forming as money
"There is nothing so habit-forming as money"
Like
Small: A demagogue is a person with whom we disagree as to which gang should mismanage the country
"A demagogue is a person with whom we disagree as to which gang should mismanage the country"
Like
Small: Age is not a particularly interesting subject. Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enou
"Age is not a particularly interesting subject. Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enough"
Like
Small: An optimist is a guy that has never had much experience
"An optimist is a guy that has never had much experience"
Like
Small: Successful people are the ones who think up things for the rest of the world to keep busy at
"Successful people are the ones who think up things for the rest of the world to keep busy at"
Like
Small: It takes all sorts of people to make the underworld
"It takes all sorts of people to make the underworld"
Like
Small: I have often noticed that ancestors never boast of the descendants who boast of ancestors. I would rath
"I have often noticed that ancestors never boast of the descendants who boast of ancestors. I would rather start a family than finish one. Blood will tell, but often it tells too much"
Like
Small: Blood will tell, but often it tells too much
"Blood will tell, but often it tells too much"
Like
Small: The trouble with the public is that there is too much of it what we need in public is less quantity and
"The trouble with the public is that there is too much of it; what we need in public is less quantity and more quality"
Like
Small: Honesty is a good thing, but it is not profitable to its possessor unless it is kept under control
"Honesty is a good thing, but it is not profitable to its possessor unless it is kept under control"
Like
Small: Did you ever notice that when a politician does get an idea he usually gets it all wrong
"Did you ever notice that when a politician does get an idea he usually gets it all wrong"
Like
Small: I would rather start a family than finish one
"I would rather start a family than finish one"
Like
Small: Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo
"Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo"
Like
Small: In all systems of theology the devil figures as a male person. Yes, it is women who keep the church goi
"In all systems of theology the devil figures as a male person. Yes, it is women who keep the church going"
Like
Small: Every cloud has its silver lining but it is sometimes a little difficult to get it to the mint
"Every cloud has its silver lining but it is sometimes a little difficult to get it to the mint"
Like
Small: We pay for the mistakes of our ancestors, and it seems only fair that they should leave us the money to
"We pay for the mistakes of our ancestors, and it seems only fair that they should leave us the money to pay with"
Like
Small: Of middle age the best that can be said is that a middle-aged person has likely learned how to have a l
"Of middle age the best that can be said is that a middle-aged person has likely learned how to have a little fun in spite of his troubles"
Like
FixQuotes Square Blue Logo
  • 2025 FixQuotes.com
  • All rights reserved
Links
Follow us