F. Scott Fitzgerald Author of The Great Gatsby Chronicler of the Jazz Age

Youth Named for distant relative – Francis Scott Key – writer of Star Spangled Banner Born 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota Wealthy Catholic family Attended New Jersey prep school Entered Princeton University in 1913 – Wrote for school paper – Poor grades and health problems – left Princeton in Jr. year

Joined army – Stationed at Camp Sheridan near Montgomery, Alabama – Met Zelda Sayre, who was 18 After war, went to New York and wrote advertising copy Became engaged to Zelda

Writing Years – between WWI and WWII Wrote This Side of Paradise in 1920 – great success Married Zelda in 1920 Had a daughter, Frances Scott (Scottie) in 1921

Started writing The Great Gatsby in 1923 – published in 1925 – Book received good critical reviews, but sales were poor – Was adapted for stage in 1926 by Owen Davis – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre produced a ballet version by Andre Prokovsky in 1987

Writing Years Continued Wrote many short stories & earned a great deal of money from writing He and Zelda led expensive life – Lived in Europe from ,mostly on Riviera – Traveled extensively – Socialized with wealthy friends – In 1926 they returned to U.S.A. but continued to travel to Europe on vacation

Fitzgerald and Zelda Both had a drinking problem Zelda suffered from schizophrenia – Had nervous breakdown in 1930 – placed in hospital in Switzerland – Permanently institutionalized in the 1930’s Fitzgerald had TB in childhood; had recurrence of disease as an adult Met Sheilah Graham, a Hollywood columnist Began a long-term relationship She wrote Beloved Infidel about their years together

In 1927, Fitzgerald went to Hollywood as a scriptwriter for MGM Was always in debt and never achieved success in the movie studios But industry treated him well. During his last years in Hollywood, MGM kept him on the payroll for eighteen months, enabling him to pay off most of his debts and to provide for himself and his family. Fitzgerald used his experiences in the studios as material for The Love of the Last Tycoon, which was about sixty percent written when he died. Fitzgerald in Hollywood

After a continuing problem with alcoholism, he died December 21, 1940, at only 44 years old, of a heart attack Zelda died in 1947 in a fire Fitzgerald is regarded as one of the most important writers of his time - Esp. for his role in creating the image of the Jazz Age (a phrase he is said to have coined) - His works reflect an era when money and social status were worshiped in America Death